The Life I Lived Before
by SouthamptonRose
Summary: After Will leaves to fufill his destiny as captain of the Flying Dutchman, Elizabeth goes back home to Port Royal and tries to piece her old life back together. But one day a certain pirate shows up on her doorstep with a grand voyage in mind.
1. Island Fever

One month had passed since the fateful day that Will fulfilled his destiny. One month Elizabeth had waited on the island where they had truly joined as one. One month. One incredibly painfully long month where every minute had passed as slowly as humanly possible. One month where she had no one to talk to, save for Will's heart locked safely away in the Dead Man's Chest. His steady even heartbeat kept her calm and saved her from absolute and desperate loneliness, but still, it was almost too much to handle.

She was growing more and more restless with every passing day. It was torture being trapped like a bird in a cage. And the thought of ten years, here alone on this island? She knew she wouldn't be able to do it. There was no possible way.

That's why she had made her decision. Yesterday she had made up her mind. She was going home. She needed to socialize, to hear another human voice, or she feared she might go mad. And as much as she longed for it, she knew that the life of a pirate was never truly for her. She was raised a noble, and therefore must live her life as one. A deep passion for adventure and excitement burned in her heart, but in truth, her skin longed for the feel of fine silk and lace embroidery. Her mouth once more wanted to taste the fine repressed words of propriety that used to reside in her throat. Her eyes longed for the pretty sight of bustling little Port Royal. She wanted her life back.

Oh, how she desperately wished to go back to the years when she and Will would race along the beach and laugh, careless and oblivious to the world around them. If she could go back but one year, everything would be different. She would have never met Jack or Barbossa or any pirates for that matter. Will would still be with her; the sweet gentlemanly blacksmith's apprentice that had stolen her heart the first time he smiled. Her father would still be alive; calling to her in his gentle voice, a loving smile on his face as he watched her descend the staircase of their manor dressed in all her finery. James would still be alive; strutting about in his glorious splendor and admiring her from afar. She would still be living in the manor, the large extravagant manor with too many rooms to count. What a difference a year can make!

Elizabeth sighed as she sat down on the sandy shore of the island's beach. The calm even darkness surrounded her, making her feel even more small and powerless than usual. And more alone. Yes, she wished that she could go back to the way things were before. Existence would be so much easier, and she would not have to fear what each day may bring. Death was constantly on her mind. Death was a sly opponent, and she knew it could strike at any minute. She was the Pirate King of the Brethren Court, and she knew that was a dangerous position to stand at. Especially due to the fact that she was a woman…a woman alone.

She had not wanted the job. She had wanted to give it up after the final battle, but found it was not possible. Once you were sworn in as the Pirate King, you lived with that title until the day you died. There was no way for it to be undone. She wished Jack had not voted for her. If he had not, she would not have to carry the responsibility of leading an entire race on her shoulders. She knew the pirates depended on her and looked to her for guidance, and it frightened her. She didn't know how to teach them. She had only been pirate herself for a short few months. If it weren't for Jack and Will and even Barbossa she would have been completely lost. They had taught her everything she knew. And now all three of them were gone.

Elizabeth glanced over at the Dead Man's Chest sitting next to her and she felt her eyes fill with tears. She was not one to cry, she had always been admired for her strength, but lately it seemed to have disappeared. She was much more emotional now and sensitive to hurtful comments and actions. It had scared her a bit, noticing how prone she had become to things that would not have bothered her in the slightest a few months ago. But as she had so often thought, a few months ago things were very different. She was an entirely different person than she was then. In fact she could really only think of one thing about her that had not changed. Her love for Will. It alone had withstood every obstacle that had challenged her beyond belief. It had survived even the darkest and most difficult of times that had caused her to rethink her very existence. When everything around her had changed, it had not. And she was more thankful for that than could ever possibly be described in any way. Her love was her lifeline. It saved her and kept her going.

Elizabeth stretched out her hand and ran her fingers along the cool metal of the chest. She pulled her hand back and sighed. She looked down at her neck, where the key was secured on a thick black cord, glinting in the faint light of the rising sun. She glanced back at the chest and sighed again.

She hadn't opened the chest yet, and she had no plans to. She knew Will's heart lay inside, beating for her. Her. He had told her his heart had always belonged to her. Just her and no one else. The mere memory of him whispering those words made her own heart pound in her chest. She smiled despite herself, a slight chill running down her spine. Yes, her love for Will had not changed. And she knew that as time passed, it would only increase.

Elizabeth rose to her feet and walked down the shore to where her longboat sat in the golden sand. She looked at it warily, concern masking her features. She was incredibly thankful for her longboat, for it was her only connection to the world. But she rather doubted it would be able to sail her all the way to Port Royal. It wasn't that strongly built, and the wood was beginning to rot. But it was all that she had. And it was definitely better than nothing.

But an even more troublesome matter than sailing to Port Royal was finding it. She had absolutely no idea where she was, and she had long since guessed that this island was uncharted, as not one ship had passed it by. And she knew that a certain Mr. Sparrow and his magical compass were the only way she could ever dream of safely returning home. But of course she knew that she and Jack had gone their separate ways and would most likely never see each other again. And that troubled her as well, for he was the only true friend she had, save for Will of course. Will would always remain her best friend no matter what. But he was gone for the time being…for the very long time being, and she was prone to severe loneliness. And she knew Jack would make her smile and laugh as he always did, and that would make her happy. And that would make Will happy. He wouldn't want for her to be miserable.

Elizabeth gazed out at the horizon, watching the sun slowly begin to rise. She hadn't been able to sleep that night, for her mind kept tormenting her with horrible nightmares of the most alarming kind. She had died while Will was away. She had died a slow and torturous death at the hands of the pirates. Her pirates. The ones who were supposed to follow her command. But they had betrayed her, turned against her, murdered her, and stolen her pride. And the worst part had been when all those years later, when Will finally came home, she had not been there. She had not been there, and the look of anguish and sorrow on his face had been unbearable.

She had awoken then, eyes wide and heart rattling, sweat drenching her body. It had only been a dream, but the look on Will's face would haunt her the ten long years to come, and not until she finally held him in her arms would she be able to let it go. It would be a brutal but firm reminder of why she had to keep going. She was doing this for Will. She was doing it for him. She was doing it because she loved him.

Dawn's brilliant colors splashed across the sky as light slowly flooded the island around her. The ocean sparkled like a million diamonds had been dropped into its deep sapphire waters. Elizabeth sighed, watching the beautiful spectacle unfurl before her. She wished she were watching it from the decks of the _Black Pearl_, Will's arms wrapped tightly around her waist as he enjoyed the sight with her, Jack standing at the helm shouting orders to the crew that would sail her to Port Royal with her love where they would settle down and live happily ever after. But she knew such thoughts were nothing more than a foolish and mere fantasy. Jack had always said that nothing was impossible, but she knew that a carefree life with Will was. There was no way she could ever fulfill that dream. For even when he did come home to her, trouble would always lie ahead. The world had far too much evil and no one brave enough to fight it, and as time went by it only grew more powerful.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her shoulders and continued to stand there, watching the sunrise in silence. The power of it gave her a bit more strength and she knew that today was the day. She was tired of waiting, and so she would leave for her little Jamaican town today. Now. There was no point in waiting for the day to fully arrive; she was losing precious time as she stood. If she didn't make it before the sunset, she knew there would be hell to pay. It would be hard enough trying to find Port Royal in the daylight, but in the darkness. Impossible.

She walked back to where the Dead Man's Chest was lying on the sand and gently picked it up. She cradled it in her arms for a minute and pressed her head to the hard solid chest. Will's heartbeat answered her call for strength and she was thankful for it. She closed her eyes and lost herself in his calm mild rhythm, imagining that he was truly with her, in body rather than mind. His arms wrapped tightly around her, his forehead pressed to hers with loving adoration. Pure bliss.

She sighed, opening her eyes and gazing back out at the ocean. But it was just another dream. And she had learned the hard way that believing in foolish daydreams only brought more pain.

As a tear slipped down her face, she tightened her grip on the chest and began walking back to her longboat. There was nothing for her on this island, nothing but a memory. A memory that was indeed very important, and one that she would always keep close in her mind. But it was a memory. There was no solid figure or article to hold on to, nothing that connected her to this forested spit of land. So she had no reason to stay. She would come back when the ten years had drawn to a close, but until then she never wanted to lay eyes on the island again.

Elizabeth placed the chest inside the longboat and was about to clamber inside when she remembered her sword. Her beautiful Chinese jian. It was still standing proudly in the sand some fifty feet down the shore, untouched since it had been plunged into the ground the day the lovers had united. Oh, what a day of wild and purely erotic passion that had been. She would certainly never forget it.

She quickly ran down the shore and pulled her jian from its stand, trying not to think how sad it looked all alone. One month ago, Will's cutlass had stood with it. But his was long since gone. And she had had not the heart to take hers away as well. So it had continued to wait in the sand, letting the hot Caribbean sun shine down on it and make its cool metal sparkle. Letting the refreshing waves of the Caribbean Sea wash over it. But now it was time to leave.

Elizabeth Turner let her eyes wander along the island's beach one last time before she pushed her longboat into the ocean and climbed inside. As the minutes went by and the little boat drifted further and further away, she watched as her island shrank away into the distance. But she was happy. She was going home. She was determined she'd be able to find Port Royal; she had to. As she picked up the oars and began to row, she watched as the sun slowly started its climb to the top of the sky.

* * *

(A/N:) I just can't stay on one story. It's simply impossible. I have about four new Pirates one's I'm working on, but I'll try to keep this one my main focus. I'm taking a little break from Unbreakable so that I can focus on this one...and come up with some new ideas. :)

I've read so many stories about Elizabeth's life after Will leaves, and so I decided I'd finally try and write my own. I think I'll try and make the chapters moderately long...so expect updates about once every one or two weeks. This will probably be a pretty long story when it's finished...but that's what I say about all of my stories. ;)

Okay...my idea of thinking may be a lot different than other people's, but I believe that about eight months have passed between the first and second films, making Will and Elizabeth twenty-one. And then about a month between the second and third...making them still twenty-one. I just like the idea that they're as young as possible...and then Elizabeth drinks from the Fountain of Youth so that she is twenty-one until the end of the world!!! Lol. She's just my favorite character, so I'm obviously going to spoil her in this story...sorta. She will have some hardships though for sure. But anyway, please let me know what you think? Reviews are very much appreciated and I'll try and respond back ASAP! Thanks :)


	2. The Long Journey Home

The merciless sun beat down on Elizabeth as she rowed. The large blazing orb of flames had now reached the center of the cerulean sky, signaling that the hours of daylight were slipping away. It was midday, and soon darkness would come and shroud the entire ocean. She had four to five hours left to reach Port Royal, and she was hopelessly lost.

Elizabeth had always had that intense fear that she would lose her way and never reach the shores of her home. That had been the main barrier that had kept her trapped on her island for as long as she had been there. She knew that once she had set sail, there would be no going back. If she couldn't find Port Royal, then she had no better chance of finding her way back to the island. She knew she wasn't a navigator; the only knowledge and experience she had was a few weeks of watching the stars from the deck of the _Black Pearl_. On the journey to World's End, Barbossa had showed her how sailors used the night sky to navigate their way across the seas, but she had not truly understood. And even if she had, there were no stars yet and she would surely lose all hope if she was still searching by the time they arrived.

Every now and then, she threw down the oars and furiously wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her whole body was drenched in it and her hair clung to her skin. She was burning and her arms and face raged scarlet with sunburn. She was so thirsty, but there was nothing to drink. Her last canteen had been drained hours ago. It was horrible, being surrounded by water but unable to drink it. The waves mocked her, crashing gently against her little wooden longboat and glittering in the sunlight. It took all of her strength to keep from jumping in and letting the cold ocean envelop her and soothe her rampant mind. She looked away from the temping sight and picked up the oars again. She couldn't waste any time. Once she was home, she could swim to her heart's desire with no worries or cares. But for now, she had to keep going.

The Dead Man's Chest was seated next to her on the little makeshift bench the longboat had. She could hear Will's heart beating gently at its mellow even pace. Today she could hear it without having to press the metal chest to her ear. Perhaps Will knew that she needed extra strength today, and he was here to provide it. He reminded her that she was not alone, even if it seemed that she was. He was always with her, providing guidance, strength, hope, and love. And that in itself made her voyage so much easier to bear. She needed him. And he was there.

Elizabeth gazed out at the horizon, wondering what he was doing at that precise moment. She wondered if he was thinking about her, for she thought about him almost every second of every day. Perhaps he was leaning against the railing of the _Flying Dutchman_, watching the horizon himself. She closed her eyes and imagined him walking about his ship, giving orders to his crew in his soft kind voice. She smiled, lightly shaking her head. Will was such a sweetheart, such a gentleman. It was so hard for him to be fierce. She knew he wasn't fit for the life of a pirate for he would never truly be one. That worried her a bit, but she knew that he could take care of himself just as she could take care of herself. She remembered having to tell him over and over again that she was perfectly capable on her own. When they had first got engaged he never left her side for an instant, afraid that she may disappear and he would wake up to find that it was all just a dream. He had told her that one day when they were sitting on the beach hand-in-hand, watching the sun set. She smiled now at the memory, opening her eyes and gazing up at the sun.

_Elizabeth sat with her legs crossed under her, the billowing skirts of her dress fluttering in the mild breeze. She yawned, allowing the day to finally catch up with her and drain the little strength she had left. As she groggily lifted her hands to rub her eyes, she became aware of the eyes that were now watching her closely, no longer gazing out at the setting sun. She turned her head and smiled sleepily at her fiancé as he brushed a lock of her chestnut hair from her face. _

_"You're so beautiful," Will breathed softly, gazing at her delicately carved face with pure and unmasked awe. _

_She smiled again and dropped her head onto his shoulder, yawning again. "Hardly, but thank you." _

_He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her in closer. She responded by snuggling her head further into his neck and groaning softly. _

_"What's wrong Elizabeth?" he questioned, his voice instantly becoming tinted with light concern. She smiled; he worried far too much about her._

_"Nothing," she murmured sleepily. "I'm just so tired, and I don't ever think I want to move from this spot."_

_He grinned, rubbing his thumb up and down her strong but willowy arm. "Am I comfortable enough for you, Miss Swann?"_

_"Very much so," she replied closing her eyes. "And please stop calling me that. In a few months I will not be Miss Swann any longer and you'll have to make the switch."_

_He smiled again and brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly. "It shall not be too difficult my dearest Elizabeth." He kissed her fingers gently, paying attention to each one and sending a shiver down her spine. "Mrs. Turner."_

_She beamed and gazed up at him, smiling her widest. "I love that." She closed her eyes again and dropped back onto his shoulder. "Elizabeth Turner." She sighed. "It has a lovely ring to it, does it not?"_

_"It does, if I may be so bold as to say."_

_"Of course you can, my love," she replied softly. "Nothing is too bold for you to say." She lifted her head slowly so that she could meet his eyes. "You're my best friend Will." She grinned. "And now my fiancé as well."_

_He smiled and lightly shook his head. "And I still can't believe it." He took a deep breath and sighed, returning his gaze back to the sea. "Ever since I first laid eyes on you that fateful day eight years ago, I knew that I was in love. Hopelessly and completely in love. And as the years went by, my love for you only grew. You never saw me as the blacksmith's poor and working apprentice. You only saw me as Will; you knew me better than anyone else. And you allowed me to see you as a free and passionate young girl, not the black and white noble that the rest of the world saw you as." He shook his head again. "I am so unworthy. Elizabeth, how did I ever deserve you?"_

_"Because fate wanted us to be together," she murmured softly. "And because I was in love with you the whole time as well." She lifted her head up and kissed him softly on the lips. When the broke apart, Will looked down at her with a slight glimmer of sadness in his eyes. She didn't miss it, and she frowned slightly. "Will, is everything alright."_

_He nodded. "Every time I see you, I always fear that this is all just a dream and I will wake up to find you still nothing more than a friend that I admire from a distance." He sighed. "All those years. All those years we were in love but never said a word. All that time."_

_She looked up at him gently, her eyes now reflecting that same despondent glimmer. "I know." She took his hand in hers and rubbed it with her thumb as a few tears ran down her cheek. "I know. But we cannot mourn that time that was lost. We still were friends, and all that matters is that it worked out in the end." She smiled. "We're together now." _

_He smiled back with the same raw adoration. "We are." He grasped her hand tighter and pulled her to him again. She rested her head against his chest, letting herself drift away to another world. She snuggled up closer to him and was filled with a loving desire as she listened to the steady beat of his heart. _

_"I can hear your heart beating," she whispered, pressing her head closer to his chest. "It's so calm and even." _

_"Content," he gently replied. "Content. Sitting here with you on the soft sand of the beach where we grew up, watching the sun set on the horizon. Content." _

_She smiled. "Content. I'm content being here with you and not worrying about the rest of the world. When I'm alone with you, nothing else matters. Time seems to freeze and nothing could ever pull me away from you." She sighed. "There is so much that cannot be said in words. There is so much I want to tell you, but I do not know how." _

_"You can tell me anything Elizabeth," he murmured into her hair._

_"I know," she said, "but there is just no way to say it. No way to word it. It is most frustrating."_

_"Don't worry about it love," he purred. "It's nothing to fret about. I know exactly what you mean, but I know that everything important will always find a way to be said when the time is right."_

_She smiled up at him. "The opportune moment?"_

_He grinned. "The opportune moment."_

Elizabeth sighed now and ran her finger along the top of the Dead Man's Chest. The metal was hot from the intense sun, but for the moment, she didn't care if her fingers burned. She was still lost in the beauty of her precious memory with her beloved. As she had so often thought, oh how things were so very different not so long ago. That very evening on the beach with Will had only occurred eight months ago, not but a week after their engagement. They had been so happy then, content with their peaceful lives in Port Royal. Of course the biggest difference between then and now was the fact that Will had still had his heart back then.

There were many differences though; many, many things had changed. They had finally gotten married after their beautifully planned wedding had been destroyed two months ago. For certain their actual wedding was definitely not what she had had in mind, but it had still been romantic in a different way. It had certainly been passionate, rain pouring around them; swords glinting as they slashed into the enemy, hands clutched tightly providing slight warmth but immense comfort. And their kiss. That had undoubtedly been _the_ most passionate and intense kiss they'd ever shared. And it had been pure ecstatic bliss.

Elizabeth pulled her hand away from the chest and grabbed up the oars furiously, tears streaming down her face. It wasn't fair. Will deserved to be here with her, his arm wrapped around her waist, his face buried in her golden hair. He had done nothing to deserve the insufferable responsibility that had been pressed onto his shoulders. _A touch of destiny…_

She scowled. "A touch of destiny indeed."

She _hated_ Calypso. _Hated _her. Elizabeth had never truly hated anyone before, but now she finally did. That goddess…that damn goddess; she had ruined everything. Destroyed it. Snatched it away. It wasn't fair.

She groaned in frustration and muttered, "Why me? Why Will? What did we ever do?"

She groaned again and began to violently pull the oars through the water with a fierce intensity. The ocean's mild waves crashed against the side of the longboat, making her even more furious for some unknown reason. In truth, Elizabeth didn't seem to have as much power over her emotions as normal. She was constantly snapping back and forth between two or three different moods. One minute she'd be contently eating some of the fruit that her island provided, and the next she'd be attacking a random tree, kicking it, punching it, and yelling at the top of her lungs. And then about ten seconds later, she'd be huddled in a ball on the sand, sobbing uncontrollably. Quite honestly, it had scared her to death when she had discovered his new fact about herself. She had decided to blame it on her bloody hormones that were no doubt raging, as she was at that age…twenty-one.

She sighed and wiped away the remainder of her tears with the back of her hand before resuming her rowing. She still had absolutely no idea where she was going and was certain that she was probably just going in a big circle, but she was following her instincts and kept going in the direction that they led her. She prayed that was enough to bring her home…but she rather doubted it. While it was not impossible that she would survive to find Port Royal in her direct line of vision, it was rather improbable. But she wouldn't give up. Not yet. In a few hours…maybe, but with the sun still providing light, she would keep trying.

* * *

(A/N:) It's sick season...and I always get hit. I think I get sick about 15-20 times a year on average. :( It really sucks. But that means that I get to stay home from school!!! And with all that extra time I get a lot of writing done. So here's chapter two. Please let me know what you think. I always look forward to reviews. :)

-Elizabeth


	3. Memories of a Forgotten Life

The sun set in a blinding array of dazzling color. Reds, oranges, pinks, and magentas were painted onto the darkening sky. Elizabeth stopped her rowing to watch, for a few reasons. One being that she loved sunsets; two being that her hands needed a rest, and three being that Will was probably watching the sun rise on the other side. And as painful and despondent as the thought was, it also gave her comfort. Even if it was only slight, any comfort lifted her spirits greatly. But now, it seemed nothing could raise her spirits any further, for they were already as high up as possible. She smiled and gazed out in front of her, where the bright lights of a town were glowing in the distant horizon. And not just any town, her town. Port Royal.

She picked up her oars again once the sun had completely disappeared and started rowing in the direction of her home. As it slowly grew nearer and she could begin to make out the dark shapes of buildings and houses, she remembered the first time she had ever laid eyes on the little Jamaican port many years ago.

_"Land ho!" a sailor shouted from the crows nest, a golden telescope held up to his eye. _

_Elizabeth gasped and jumped to her feet, grabbing Will's hand and pulling him up as well. They'd been playing a game of dominos on the deck…or at least attempting to. One of the sailors had taught them the game a few days ago, but they both were having a hard time remembering the rules. They were also having a hard time concentrating, as they both knew that today was the day they would finally arrive at their destination. _

_They'd been on the sea for nearly two weeks, and Elizabeth wanted nothing more than to collapse on the sandy shore of the beaches that her father had said were scattered all around the outskirts of the town. She didn't know how he had acquired this bit of information, as he had never been to Jamaica before, but it didn't matter to her. She was thrilled at the thought of living so near the sea. She had spent all of her life jammed in the middle of England, central London to be exact, and had never seen the ocean until this very voyage. It had taken her father literally over an hour to drag her away from the crashing blue waves and golden sandy shore. _

_It was an obvious fact then that since she had never seen the ocean before, Elizabeth had never been on a ship. When the large majestic _H.M.S. Dauntless_ had appeared in her line of vision, she had gasped and pressed her face to the window of her carriage, a wide smile plastered on her face. _

_"Elizabeth, be patient," her father had said. "And please sit back down."_

_She had been so excited that she hadn't even realized she had jumped up from her seat. But she had a right to. For years, she had dreamt about pirate ships sailing on the sapphire ocean, chasing the sun as it set on the horizon. And now she was finally living out her dreams. While the _Dauntless_ may not have been a pirate ship, it was good enough for her. _

_Now, about ten days later, Elizabeth pulled again on her best mate's hand, forcing him to run with her. "Come on Will! Don't you want to see the town?"_

_"Of course I do," the young boy replied as he struggled to keep up with her. "I just see no point in running."_

_"Oh, you're so boring," she said, pulling him again._

_"Elizabeth, stop!" he desperately called. "Please, I can't breathe."_

_She instantly let go of his hand, but didn't stop running herself. She didn't even glance back to see if he was following her. Only when she reached the wooden railing at the bow did she turn to find Will walking towards her none too quickly._

_"Hurry up! Hurry up, I can see it!" she shrieked, motioning for him to come._

_He sighed but ran the rest of the way and grasped her outstretched hand with his own. She pulled him up next to her and began jumping and pointing. _

_"Look Will! Look, it's so beautiful!"_

_The little town was growing larger with every passing second and beginning to reveal itself to them as they watched in awe. Pretty little white cottage-like houses lined the dirt roads where the citizens were running around doing their Friday errands. The church bells were chiming up in the bell tower, signaling it was now midday._

_Elizabeth's eyes were focused on only one thing, though. Down on the docks by the beach, the whole of the Royal Navy was assembled in two uniform lines with their bayonets crossed overhead. Behind them, a small group of citizens was gathered around what looked like a large white carriage. _

_She heard Will meekly ask, "Is that all for you?"_

_She glanced over at him and shook her head. "No. It's for us."_

_He smiled shyly. "I believe it is more for the Governor, sadly."_

_She nodded her agreement. "Yes, and Lieutenant Norrington." She grinned and squeezed his hand. "With all the attention on them, we could easily slip away and explore the town. Shall we?"_

_He bit his lower lip and looked at her warily. "I don't know. I do not with to get into any trouble so early. First impressions are important after all, and I suspect we're going to be living her for a while. Or, at least you are."_

_"Oh Will, you worry far too much! Who honestly cares if we're a bit too adventurous? We're twelve; what do they expect?"_

_He sighed and shrugged. "I don't know Elizabeth. I just…"_

_"Please?" She pouted slightly and looked up at him pleadingly. "For me?"_

_He was silent for a minute and just continued staring at her, but finally he nodded. "Alright. I guess a little adventure wouldn't hurt."_

_She grinned. "As into the sunset we sail."_

_He looked at her curiously. "Excuse me?"_

_She shook her head. "Never mind. That was uncalled for. Just something from a novel I read once. Terribly romantic it was, though I thoroughly enjoyed it." She smiled again. "As off into the sunset we shall sail, my dear Katherine…"_

_He grinned. "And keep a weather eye on the horizon."_

_"Is that from a book as well?" she asked._

_He shook his head. "No. It was carved on a grave in London Cemetery, by my mum's." _

_"It's pretty."_

_He nodded. "I liked it too."_

_She smiled. "Keep a weather eye on the horizon."_

_"Always, Miss Swann."_

Elizabeth smiled now as she gazed at the approaching town. She was getting close, and could now make out the outlines of people walking about the streets. Suddenly, she caught sight of the large governor's mansion, towering in the distance. The windows were aglow with the light of candles, making her heart flutter softly. Her home had not been abandoned. Someone was taking care of it.

Her smiled abruptly disappeared as a dark thought crossed her mind. Someone else was living in her mansion, in her home. Yes, its previous occupants had died and disappeared, but it had not been so long ago. Her father's passing had been a month ago, and she had only left Port Royal a month before that. Surely the townsfolk could not have already forgotten her? Her departure had become quite famous she had heard, escaping from prison after her wedding had been destroyed.

At the thought of her Port Royal wedding, a little frown appeared on her face. Her eyes drifted over to the church where the glorious union was supposed to have happened, but never did.

_Elizabeth stared out ahead of her, at the grey and desolate ocean. Her pale lips were drawn together in a sorrowful frown, and her large brown eyes were wide and distant. She was kneeling in the damp soil and grass scattered about the church courtyard. Her beautiful golden gown was turning into a ruin as she allowed the rain to drench it. The imported silk so carefully sewn in long billowing layers had lost its shine and the exquisite diamonds and pearls that adorned the bodice and train no longer glittered. _

_The lovely young bride sighed as she tightened her grip on the lily and jasmine bouquet she held in front of her. Today was supposed to have been the best of her life, but it had quickly turned into a nightmare. _

_She jumped slightly at the sound of footsteps behind her followed by the ring of a sword. She lifted her head and glanced behind her to see the figure of a man standing between the columns of the church's outside patio. A large crowd had gathered behind him, and at its center was the terrified face of her fiancé. He looked pale and exhausted, and his hands were cuffed together in addition to three guards flanking him. Her heart skipped a beat and she let out a painful gasp. _

_Quickly rising to her feet, she dropped her bouquet into the mud and ran as swiftly as the heavy layers of her gown would allow her. As she approached the church, she glanced at the mysterious man who had first caught her attention. In the short moment that she saw his face, she realized that an evil smirk was carved onto his thin lips. Elizabeth brushed past him and crashed into her fiancé, locking him in a tight embrace. _

_"Will," she cried as her tears began to fall. "Why is this happening?"_

_He pulled her tighter for a minute and sighed. "I don't know." _

_She continued to cry as the crowd around them watched sadly. _

_Gently, Will put a finger under her chin and raised her head so that he could meet her eyes. He smiled. "You look beautiful."_

_She smiled back before swallowing hard. "I think its bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding." But from the sudden change of events, she was beginning to doubt that any vows would be exchanged today. She was right. _

Elizabeth closed her eyes and tried to push the memory from her mind. That day had changed her life in so many ways. She would be happily married right now, looking out her window at the blacksmith's forge waiting for her husband to return home after a long day of work. If only things had gone according to plan.

By now she had reached the beach just west of the harbor. She ran her little longboat ashore and sat in silence for a minute, letting realization wash over her. She had done it; navigated her way across the wild seas with not so much as a compass. And now she was home.

She climbed out of the longboat and gasped as her feet came in contact with the cool sand. It was so soft and smooth, different from any other sand she had ever felt. The grains on her island had been beautiful, glittering gold in the sunlight, but they were hard and had cut her feet from walking on them for so long. But now she reveled in the feeling of the shores she was so used to. The very beaches where she had grown up. Where she had spent countless hours racing along the water's edge with Will when they were young and carefree. Those were the days.

Elizabeth carefully picked up the Dead Man's Chest and stuck it under her arm so that she could grab her jian. With a loose piece of cloth she had ripped from her dress, she tied the jian to her leg so that it was shielded from view. It made her feel safe, but she didn't think the citizens would appreciate her walking around with a weapon. Ex-governor's daughter or not, the only people truly authorized to have weapons were the Royal Navy.

She shuddered. The Royal Navy used to be her friend, her ally. They protected her when she was in danger; they rescued her when she was stranded on that island with Jack some nine months ago. But now they were her worst enemy. They tried to kill her, and they had nearly succeeded. The day she was finally married to Will had almost been her last. Thank God he had been there to protect her. But it had cost him his life in the end.

She sighed, shaking her head sadly. As she so often thought, it just wasn't fair. But at least they had been given another chance. This wasn't the end, not by a long-shot. He _would_ come home to her, and they _would_ get the ending they deserved. But for the time being, she would have to be patient. She wasn't particularly wonderful at waiting for anything, but this was one thing that she would happily wait an eternity for. She was so blessed to have been given an amazing man that willingly sacrificed for her, and that loved her with every fiber of his being. The first time he had said those three little words, time had frozen and her heart had stopped beating.

_It was warm and humid in Port Royal, as it often was. The hot Caribbean sun beat down on all the civilians that were gathered around the gallows to watch as a free bird was silenced. _

_Jack stood high on the platform, his hands tied together with a thick piece of rope. He didn't look afraid, but Elizabeth knew that he was. Even the bravest men in the world cowered in fear at the thought of facing the hangman's noose. She knew he was no different. _

_He lifted his head and she caught his eye for a second. He looked sad, lost, and defeated. The immortal Captain Sparrow had finally given up. She looked back at him desperately, wishing there was something she could do. He had done nothing wrong; on the contrary he had saved her life numerous times. And now she was going to watch him die. The guilt her heart felt was immense, and she thought she might burst into tears._

_Elizabeth glanced over at her father, who was standing next to her, along with Commodore Norrington. They both had their eyes on Sparrow as well, though there was no mercy in either of their intense glares. She looked back to the pirate again and sighed. _

_"This is wrong."_

_Without looking at her, Governor Swann firmly said, "Commodore Norrington is bound by the law, as are we all."_

_Before she could open her mouth to retort, she heard her name being called. Her heart skipped a beat, for she knew that voice all too well. She glanced down to see Will standing before her, looking up at her with a smile on his face. She tried to return it, but found she couldn't. She was still slightly angry with him for his simply heartbreaking response to her silent plea a few nights ago at Isle de Muerta. But now she was put into a slight trance by the way he had said her name. Her actual name. Ever since she had been kidnapped a few days ago, Will had started calling her Elizabeth instead of the lifeless Miss Swann, and she couldn't help but smile every time she heard her name rolling off his tongue. But not this time. _

_She continued to watch him, but didn't say anything. She tilted her chin up slightly, adding a touch of arrogance to her already displeased character. She would let Will know how much his words had hurt her, and she would do it without ever opening her mouth. She knew that when she ignored him, it stung. He had told her so when they were sixteen years old. And as far as she knew, that fact hadn't changed one bit over the past four years. _

_"Elizabeth," Will said again, making sure he had her eye. Once she had given him her full attention, though a bit annoyed she looked, he continued. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a second and felt his heart hammering in his chest. This was it. No turning back now. It needed to be said, before it was too late. He swallowed nervously and looked back into her dark intimidating eyes, but suddenly he had the courage to go on. "I should have told you every day from the moment I met you…"_

_He stopped for a minute, awaiting some sort of reaction from her. She frowned slightly and creased her eyebrows, obviously confused. It seemed she had not been expecting any sort of chat from him today, and his carefully chosen words seemed to have bewildered her. He smiled faintly at her expression, and then took another deep breath. Now is the time. The opportune moment._

_"I love you."_

_Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open a bit. She didn't blink; she just kept staring at him. He could tell by the way her chest was rising and falling that she was breathing heavily. He honestly thought she was going to faint. _

_After a few seconds of silence, he changed a glance at her father and fiancé. Their eyes were wide as well, and the Commodore was staring at him in utter disbelief. Will quickly looked back to Elizabeth, only to find she had not moved at all. She still had that shocked expression on her face, and he was beginning to regret finally telling her. Perhaps he had been a bit too rash, and she was simply not expecting it. But then again, he had always feared that she would not feel the same way, and it appeared that he had been right. He swiftly turned around and pushed his way into the crowd, wishing he could disappear._

_Elizabeth stared after him and his words finally began to register in her mind. He loved her. He actually loved her. And he had loved her for years. Her breath caught in her throat as she suddenly realized that she had loved him all along as well. He was her best friend, the one person she had always been able to turn to without the fear of being laughed at or pushed aside. He always seemed to understand, almost like he was going through the same things that she was. She loved him. Loved him with all her heart, and she wanted him to know that. _

_She craned her neck to see him in the crowd, but he was no where to be seen. She sighed and turned to confront her father when a flash of color caught her eye. She furrowed her eyebrows and squinted in the bright sunlight to see what the brilliant blue and red spectacle had been. Her eyes widened in shock for the second time as she focused in on a large parrot perched on the flagpole of one of the flags flying atop Fort Charles. It was Cotton's parrot. _

_Elizabeth snapped her head forward at the sound of a sword ringing, followed by the cries and shrieks of the civilians. Her eyes darted around for a second, searching for the owner of the sword. It didn't take her long to realize that it was Will; he had seen the parrot as well. She watched as he pushed through the crowd, sword gripped tightly in his hand, and she knew that he was going to try to set Jack free. But he wouldn't be able to do it alone. He was far outnumbered, and as he moved she saw the Royal Navy tightening their grips on their bayonets. She had to act fast. _

Elizabeth sighed. Memories. That's what she was living off of. Memories. Days spent in the company of her beloved, whether it be their dramatic wedding or long summer hours of lying idly under a tree. These were the thoughts that gave her strength. They reminded her of what she had already been through, and told her what awaited when Will finally came home. And was she ever looking forward to that.

She looked up at the dark sky where thousands of tiny stars were glinting; sprinkled all along the vast and endless universe. She smiled slightly, thinking she was not so very different from them. They were all so small; so insignificant, impossible to count just like everyone in the world. Yet each one sparkled with its own personality; no two were alike. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, letting the mild breeze blow through her hair.

She gazed back at the town and feared her emotions may overtake her. Letting out a final sigh, she slowly began her walk towards the roads she knew so well.

She was home at last.

* * *

(A/N:) I love this chapter. I love all the memories...they were really fun to write :) Please let me know what you think of the story so far! I know a lot hasn't happened yet, but there is a lot more to come soon, I promise!

-Elizabeth


	4. Differences of Then and Now

Elizabeth walked along the streets, gazing into the shop windows that were illuminated by the faint light of candles. It was rather quiet for this time of evening, but she rather enjoyed the silence. Every now and then she'd pass someone by, and her heart gave a little jolt when she recognized them. They didn't seem to remember her though, so she kept her mouth shut and kept walking.

As she grew closer to the mansion, she noticed there were more people about. More and more faces she recognized; friends and acquaintances she'd left behind not but a few months ago. She realized that she had entered the part of town reserved for the wealthy and noble as she began to take in what they were wearing. All the old finery that she had grown so used to over the years, apart from the corsets of course. She highly doubted anyone could get used to those.

Soon she began to notice the looks they were giving her. Dark and merciless glares, silent demands that she retreat back to where she belonged. But this _was _where she belonged. Only dressed the way she was, in a tattered black gown with her long dirty hair down and no shoes on her worn feet, she certainly didn't look the part. Anyone that didn't know her would have never guessed that she had once been the fair-skinned and red-lipped daughter of the governor. Her skin was still indeed rather white, but the thick layer of dirt that had gathered on it over the weeks hid its true pale color from view.

Elizabeth suddenly felt a little afraid of all the people she thought she knew. They looked so intimidating, threatening. Before, they had bowed their heads in respect whenever she passed. They had smiled and complimented her beauty. But now, when she stood beneath them, they looked at her with disgust and hatred. How foolish she had been all those years, immune from any and all judgment. No, that was not true; she had still been judged, but never so harshly. She had lived in her own little world, with everything brought to her on a silver platter. Everyone admired her, everyone respected her. But now as she thought about it, did they really love _her_, or did they only love her money?

She sighed and kept her head down as she brushed past the nobles. They never said a word, but she could feel their eyes boring into her, following her every move. She didn't look back, she just kept going.

She felt so horrible. All this time, the commoners had been looked down upon, judged immediately by their clothes and their homes, not by their true character. Will. Her breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard. Will. He had been the blacksmith's apprentice; he had lived practically as low as possible. But she had never noticed. He had only been her best friend, her retreat from the rest of the world. He was her everything. The others had seen him only as a commoner; dirty, poor, worthless. They had never looked _inside_ to see who he truly was; they had formed their opinions on only the _outside. _And they had shied away from any contact with him and the rest of those less fortunate. But not her. She knew _everyone_, and knew them each by who they were on the inside. She knew their hearts, their thoughts, and their wildest dreams. And she had never stopped going to them, no matter how many times she was told to stay away. She had hoped that maybe, if she set the example, the others, the nobles, would follow. But seeing them now, glaring at her with utter resentment, it seemed they had not changed at all.

Elizabeth sighed and continued for the mansion gates. Once she had reached them, she peered through the metal bars at her extravagant home. Or at least what she hoped was still her home. As she had thought, she had been gone long enough for someone to have snatched Port Royal from her grasp. But the thought was too saddening, and so she pushed it aside and refused to believe it until it was proven true.

Pulling the gate back, she slipped through the opening and stepped onto the long winding driveway. The gravel was rough against her feet, but she ignored it. As she grew closer, the mansion grew larger and larger, overwhelming her momentarily. Already she had forgotten the absolute luxury she had once lived in, and having it suddenly surround her again came as a slight shock. She had grown used to sleeping on a worn cot in a small wooden room with one window that allowed her to see the beautiful ocean. Living on the _Black Pearl_ was so different than her old life, but she loved it. It was an adventure. But she was ready to settle down and slip back into the comfort of her plush aristocratic days. They were where she truly belonged.

Finally reaching the mahogany wooden doors leading into the foyer, Elizabeth pulled on one to find that they were locked. She scowled. Locked out of her own home. Thankfully though, she knew another way in. With a sly and devilish grin, she made her way to the back garden. She tilted her head back and looked up at her balcony that she had spent so many nights on. When she was unable to sleep, she'd wander outside to gaze at the stars and the glistening ocean. Never in her life did she lock her balcony doors shut, just in case the night called to her. Right now she dearly hoped that no one had come along and closed them, for they were her only way in.

Elizabeth bit her lower lip as she warily gazed at the trellis growing up the wall. She had climbed it many times throughout the years, whenever she had the urge to wander about late at night. She knew she'd be able to climb it again. But she rather doubted that she'd be able to do it one-handed. She sighed and glanced down at the chest still clutched under her arm. She would rather die than leave it behind, but she needed to get up to her room. Closing her eyes, she brought the metal up to her ear and listened as Will's comforting heartbeat assured her that he would be safe. As long as she had the key, no one could open the chest.

She carefully placed it under the very tree that she had spent many hours under, sleeping in Will's arms. She quickly turned away before more memories could overtake her, and gazed up again at the vine-covered trellis. Firmly placing one foot on the lowest hold she could find, she lifted herself up and began climbing.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her, followed by a harsh voice. "Come down at once! You're trespassing on government property, Miss."

Startled, Elizabeth almost lost her grip, but she managed to keep her footing. She glanced over her shoulder to see a guard of the Royal Navy glaring up at her, his bayonet grasped tightly in his hands.

Because she was utterly foolish, and because she always preferred the daring and adventurous, she continued to climb, ignoring the guard's demand and her heart pounding in her chest. As expected, she soon heard the guard's voice again, and he sounder angrier, if possible.

"Oi! Miss, I ordered you to come down! You don't have permission to be here!"

Choosing once again to irrationally disregard his command, she reached up again. She was determined to feel the cool tile of the balcony floor against her feet, and she wasn't going to let anyone stop her.

Elizabeth gasped as she felt herself being pulled down. She glanced down again to find that the guard had grabbed her ankle and was forcing her off the trellis.

"No!" she yelled indignantly. "Let go of me!"

She tried to shake him off, but his grip only tightened. She reached up for the next hold and attempted to pull herself further up, but it was no use and she knew continuing to struggle could only hurt her. As she moved her foot downward to begin the descent, the wooden hold beneath it snapped. She screamed as she lost her grip and fell to the ground. Thankfully, she had only fallen about eight feet, but it still was painful.

As she moved to a sitting position, her head started throbbing terribly. She groaned and brought her hand up to rub her forehead, but it was quickly snatched by the guard. He grabbed her other hand as well and bound them together behind her back. She shot him a murderous glare, and he simply shrugged.

"Sorry Miss," he said, sounding none too sorry at all. "It's my job, and you were trespassing."

Elizabeth scowled and shot him another glare. She wouldn't bother trying to tell him that this was in fact her home; he would never believe her.

"How dare you," she spat. "Release me at once!"

He grinned evilly. "Of course Miss. I'll let you go, as soon as you've had a word with my superior. I'm sure he'll be delighted to see you."

She yelled angrily as she was forced to her feet and led away from the mansion. She continued to shout and struggle until the guard promptly slapped her across the face. She gasped and froze, only moving when he pushed her forward a minute later. She nearly lost her balance and fell, being unable to use her arms for stability.

The guard laughed as he watched her struggle to keep upright, but eventually gripped her by the shoulder and stopped her clumsy flailing. She glared at him and raised her chin a bit in a desperate attempt to keep what little amount of pride she had left. He just laughed again and shook his head.

"You're definitely something, Missy. You got a name?"

"Of course I have a name," she scoffed.

"Well then, what is it?"

She glared at him. "Not your concern." She had decided not to reveal her identity until the opportune moment.

He returned her glare and gave her a slight push that again almost caused her to fall. "Keep moving," he said gruffly.

"As you wish," she mumbled bitterly.

They walked in silence for about ten minutes, Elizabeth all the while wondering who she would soon be facing. Since Beckett had been killed, and James as well, she doubted it would be anyone she knew. But then again, you never really know.

The guard sighed, startling her a little, for he had suddenly broken the silence. She glanced up at him to see him staring up at the sky where the stars had grown brighter over the past hour. She gazed up at them as well and almost lost herself in their marvelous splendor and beauty. So calming and soothing they were, they could always relax her no matter what the situation was. Just like…

Elizabeth gasped and froze in her tracks as realization dawned on her. Her eyes grew wide with horror and she let out a small scream.

She had left the chest behind.

* * *

(A/N:) Oh noes!!! She forgot the chest! Gah! That's not good...

I have WAY too much time...if this is all I do...just write pointless stories for hours...lol...oh well, I love it! Writing helps me through the long boring school day - Please tell me what you think! I love hearing your ideas or suggestions...as well as the occasional praise...lol. just kidding. I really don't care what you say, I just like reviews. :) Thanks, and expect the next chapter in a few days.

Oh, and I want to give a HUGE thanks to Arquenniel for being my awesome editor. You rock missy! Keep writing. And on a random note, Happy Leap Day everyone!!! February 29!!! Yay XD


	5. Unusual Reactions

Her heart beat quickened and her first reaction was to panic. Her breath shot out in gasps and she began to struggle against the bonds that held her hands together. When her attempts brought no results, she burst into tears.

The guard 'escorting' her had noticed she was no longer at his side and turned back to see why she had stopped. When he saw her struggling, he almost laughed. But then when she started to cry, he couldn't help but feel a little bad for her. He walked back to her and asked, "What is it, Miss?"

She only continued to cry, her emotions raging. She was angry now, furious for that matter. She was so angry at this man just standing there watching her struggle and doing nothing. And she was angry at herself for being stupid enough to leave something so important behind. And she was also afraid. Absolutely terrified that someone would take the chest and it wouldn't be there when she came back for it. And then Will's life would be in jeopardy, and that brought immense guilt. If anything happened to him, it would be all her fault. But she had the key, so no one could open the chest. But she was still terrified. And she was ashamed of herself for letting this happen. _Will_ would be ashamed of her. And that made her want to cry more. But she felt so helpless and worthless just standing there, crying. And for that she wanted to beat herself up. But she couldn't do that with her hands tied up. And neither could she wipe the tears from her surely red swollen eyes. She felt mortified crying in front of a man, a Royal Navy soldier nonetheless, and she wished she could disappear from the world. But then Will would…oh Will! She missed him so much! And now her tears fell heavier and she was so confused as to why she couldn't get a grip on herself. This was so incredibly unlike her. She was suddenly angry again, and wanted so badly to punch something…or someone. If only her hands weren't tied up! Gah! What was wrong with her? Bloody hormones!

"Don't just stand there!" she snapped at the guard. "Do something!"

"What?" He was thoroughly confused by now and a little bit afraid. This girl looked like she was fighting some severe internal battle. She was still crying, but her eyes were scorching with impossibly fierce hatred and frustration. She seemed in despair, but the way she was glaring at him made him fear for his life.

"Untie me, you idiot!" she hissed through gritted teeth. Her jaw was clenched and she was still desperately trying to free her hands.

He was slightly taken aback by her demand and only just managed to firmly shake his head and say, "No."

"Yes!" she yelled. "Do it now!" By now she had fallen to her knees and was struggling to rip the bonds by pulling her hands apart. Her attempts were useless, and only caused her wrists to burn.

"Why?" he asked a little defensively. "So you can run away?"

"No!" she shrieked.

"Then why?"

She was in so much anguish she couldn't speak. Her tears grew heavier and cascaded down her face in torrents.

The guard watched her helplessly and finally sighed in defeat. He couldn't _stand_ it when women cried. "Alright, fine. Get up."

She gazed up at him and silently rose to her feet. She waited as he dug through his pocket for a minute before pulling out a blunt knife. She kept perfectly still as he took her wrists in his hand and carefully cut through the thick cloth. But the minute she was free, she took off sprinting in the direction of the mansion and never looked back. She heard the guard shouting from somewhere behind her, but she ignored him. Elizabeth knew he would catch her again, but she would worry about the consequences when they were upon her. She had only one thing to worry about now.

As she ran, she wiped the tears from her eyes and prayed that they would stop. But she knew that only when she held the chest in her arms would that happen. Hopefully it would.

Some six minutes later, she was racing up the road to the mansion gates. She pushed them open and bounded up the driveway, breathing heavily. When she reached the back garden, she frantically looked to thee tall oak tree. Closing her eyes, she sighed deeply in relief. It was still there.

Elizabeth walked over to the tree and fell to her knees. She just stared at the chest for a minute, before reaching for it and cradling it in her arms. Her tears did not stop as she thought they would though. The continued to fall and stream down her face. She clutched the chest to her body as closely as she could and rested her chin atop its hard metal side. She closed her eyes and listened to Will's heart beating in time with her own. He was safe.

"Oi! Missy!"

Her eyes snapped open as the guard's footsteps grew louder. She looked up and saw him striding towards her at a rapid speed. She continued to hold the chest protectively and narrowed her eyes into a threatening glare. He would not take her again.

"You said you wouldn't run away," the guard said. He was out of breath, but she could still hear the anger in his voice.

"And I hadn't planned on it," she replied as evenly as she could. "I didn't run away. I ran somewhere where I knew you could easily find and capture me, as you already have."

He looked thoroughly confused now. It seemed he wasn't the brightest sort, but then again, not that many were these days. "Well then what was the purpose of…I don't know…all that drama back there?"

"I wasn't faking it so I could escape," she spat. "That was real."

There was a pause for a minute as he struggled to think of what to ask next. "Well then what happened?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but then decided better and closed it again. She wasn't about to tell some stranger her whole incredibly long and complicated story, and quite honestly, she wasn't even exactly sure what had happened a few minutes ago. As she had decided, blame it on her hormones.

"Well…?"

She shrugged her shoulders, still keeping a firm grip on the chest.

He sighed. "Alright then, why did you run?"

Elizabeth bit her lower lip and let her eyes wander around the scenery as she thought of how to word her response. Finally, she motioned to the chest with one hand and said, "Because of this."

He looked at the chest in her arms for a minute and then raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"

"A chest, obviously," she snapped.

"Well yes, I know that," he replied somewhat bitterly. "I mean, what is it that's so important about it?"

"None of your business." She clutched it to her chest again and glared at him.

He sighed again. "Very well." After a moment's pause, his face darkened considerably and he said, "Well Miss, I'm going to have to detain you again."

Her lips curled into a devilish smile. "You can try."

Keeping one hand secured around the chest, she reached down with her other one and snatched the jian from her leg. Crossing it in front of her protectively, she shot him a look that urged him to give her his best shot.

He looked surprised for a second, but then he frowned and shook his head slightly. "You know I can just shoot you now."

She lowered her blade slightly and drew her lips into a pout. "You wouldn't shoot a girl now, would you?"

"I wouldn't want to, but I would and I will." He tightened his grip on his bayonet. "Now if you would please drop your sword and walk this way."

"Where are you taking me?" she demanded. "Perhaps if I know I will not resist."

"I am not at liberty to state," he said firmly.

She raised her jian again. "Then I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way."

"Don't make me do anything I might regret tomorrow Miss," he said in a mildly threatening tone.

She grinned. "Oh, I will. Don't you worry about that."

There was silence for a long while where neither dared to move. They kept their eyes locked and kept their weapons raised. But finally, one of them broke. The guard sighed and looked at the bayonet in his hands before throwing it to the ground.

"Alright, alright, you win," he sighed. "I don't want to hurt you Miss."

She lowered her jian a little. "But you still want to arrest me."

He shrugged. "I have to."

Elizabeth sighed herself and clutched the chest tighter. He was right; she would have to go with him. There was no other way. If she ran, she would be caught and the punishment could be far worse. And besides, she was tired of running, especially from her own home.

She bit her lower lip and met his eyes again. "Will they hurt me?"

He looked at her quizzically. "Who?"

"The people you're taking me to."

He was silent for a minute, but then he shook his head. "No; I don't think so." He smiled lightly, and for a moment there was no cruelty or demand in his face. Perhaps he was a kind man, a shy one just hiding behind a threatening mask.

Elizabeth returned his smile and threw her jian down beside his bayonet. "Alright; I'll go."

He gave a slight nod. "Thank you."

"But don't expect any favors from me."

He nodded again and motioned for her to come. "Very well." He smiled once more in that kind way. "I won't tie you again."

She stared at him for a minute, but didn't move. In fact, she closed her eyes and brought one of her hands to her forehead before letting out a deep groan. The chest nearly slipped from her grasp, but she managed to keep her hold on it. The guard watched her closely, and began to wonder if something was suddenly wrong.

"Miss?"

Elizabeth reopened her eyes and looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"Are you coming?"

She creased her eyebrows for a moment before exclaiming, "Oh! Yes, of course."

As she took a step forward however, she stumbled a bit and nearly fell. She gasped slightly and leaned against the oak tree for support. She didn't know why, but suddenly she was beginning to feel extremely faint, as she often felt when trapped in a corset, but she hadn't worn one in nearly two months. What was happening?

"Miss," he questioned again. "Are you alright?"

"I hardly know," she mumbled as she attempted to take another step. But her head was now throbbing, and the overwhelming feeling of lightheadedness was starting to bring her down. Once more she tried to move, but she staggered forward and tripped. The chest slipped out of her arms and landed in the grass. A second later, she was lying beside it; claimed by unconsciousness.

* * *

(A/N:) Here's chapter five...finally. Sorry it took so long...I've been unbelieveably busy. I'm in a play next week, and we have so many practices that I barely have time to do my homework. And then my science fair project is due on Wednesday, and I am SOOOOO behind everyone else. And it count's for half of my semester grade. And on top of that, I got sick again, for the fourth time in two months. Flu season always hits me, but this is ridiculous. I think four is my new record. -sigh- And now I'm just gonna shut up because I know I'm not the only one in the world with problems. Far from it. Anyway, here's the next chapter, expect the next one in a week or so. Please review and let me know what you think:)

-Elizabeth


	6. Sudden Helplessness

Elizabeth groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. Her head hurt terribly, and she felt that her stomach was churning. She carefully turned her head so that she could take in her surroundings. She was in a large room with white painted walls and a dark wooden floor. The room was mostly empty, apart from a desk and a few chairs and davenports scattered about the corners. She herself was stretched out on one of the davenports, with a pillow propped up under her head.

She glanced around the room again. There was only one window; a small white one with shutters that were thankfully open, letting a cool breeze in. Light was streaming in from outside, startling her a little bit. It had been evening when she had passed out; she must have slept all through the night and into the morning. She looked over to the one door opposite where she was lying. It was closed, keeping her from seeing what lay behind it.

After just lying still for a few minutes, she sighed and used her hands to push herself up to a sitting position. The sudden movement caused her throbbing headache to double and the nausea in her stomach to overwhelm her. She leaned forward and threw up on the floor, coughing violently. Then, moaning, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and forced herself to stand up. Something was definitely wrong with her.

She shuffled over to the door, back slumped and eyes half closed. She felt so weak, like a pathetic little sick person, and she was disgusted by her sudden helplessness. _So much for the brave and powerful Pirate King_, she thought bitterly.

Once she reached the wall, she grasped the doorknob somewhat tightly and turned it until the door clicked open. She peered outside into a long and narrow hallway that stretched on for quite a while before turning off to the left. With another sigh, she started down it, hoping to find something or someone that could maybe tell her where the hell she was and what was wrong with her.

She didn't have to wait long. Suddenly her guard person came walking down the hallway, straight towards her. He was smiling, but his smile quickly disappeared as he took in her appearance. Honestly, she did look quite a mess. A horrible, exhausted, tormented, helpless mess. Disastrous, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"I was just coming to check on you," the guard said as he came to a halt before her. "You've been asleep quite a while. Are you alright?"

Elizabeth groaned and clutched a hand to her stomach, attempting to fight another wave of nausea. She couldn't speak, and so she simple shook her head.

He looked down at her with concern. "What's wrong with you?"

She shrugged and closed her aching eyes. After a minute, she managed to choke, "I was hoping you might be able to tell me that."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know a thing about medical illnesses or such."

She managed a small smile. "It's alright."

"Do you want to go lie back down?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, it's just…"

He gave her a look that urged her to continue. "What?"

"I don't wish to sound ungrateful, but is there anyway that I could possibly have something a bit more comfortable to rest on?"

He nodded. "Yes, of course. I can take you to a bed if you wish."

She sighed in relief. "Yes, thank you. I'm just so tired, and I don't know why. It's a bit frightening really, I woke up and realized that I'd passed out and slept through the night. And then my head hurt so terribly, and my stomach, and…" She sighed. "And I threw up. Oh, I know something is wrong with me, but I just don't know what!"

She was panting by the time she finished, and her breathing was raspy and uneven. Her hand was still clutched to her stomach, and her eyes had fallen again into the weak half-closed position.

The guard started at her almost in disbelief. So different she was now, so different from last night. So…helpless. He shook his head a little and sighed. "Well Miss…let me take you to a room."

She nodded. "Thank you."

"Might I ask though," he started, "I know you previously told me it was not my concern, but what is your name?"

She smiled a little. "Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth." He gave her a slight bow. "I'm John."

"Pleasure to ummm…meet you John."

"You as well Miss Elizabeth. Formally meet you really."

She nodded. "Yes, as our official meeting had been….interesting."

"Indeed. Not to pry, but what were you doing last night at the mansion?"

She sighed. "It's a very, very long story." She shook her head. "I'm sure you'd love to hear it, but I'm afraid I'm not quite up to it at the moment."

"It's alright; whenever you feel like it."

"I do have one question though," she managed. "Two actually."

"Yes?"

She stared at him closely and narrowed her eyes. "Why were you so cruel to me before? And then that sudden change. Are you actually a kind person or is this all a show?"

He seemed slightly taken aback by her bold accusation, but tried not to let it show. In truth, he was a bit amused by her behavior.

He shrugged. "I don't know; you decide."

She was silent for a minute as she contemplated his request. Finally she sighed. "I guess you're nice, but what about before?"

"I was just doing my job."

"Well malice isn't a requirement for working for the Royal Navy," she said in defense.

John simply looked at her meekly and didn't respond.

"What?" Elizabeth demanded.

"It actually is."

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open a little. "Beg pardon?"

He shrugged. "I don't make the rules, I just follow them."

"Oh." She was silent for another minute before she asked, "Who is your superior?"

"What?" He didn't seem to have been expecting that.

"Last night you told me you were taking me to see your superior. I want to know who it is, in case I might know them," she replied patiently.

He creased his eyebrows as he examined her closely. "How would you know them? Do you live in Port Royal? I've never seen you before."

She smirked. "You probably have, but you just don't know it."

Now it was his turn to narrow his eyes. "Who are you?"

"That's part of my long and complicated story," she replied. "I'd have to tell you everything if I told you who I was. You'd never believe me otherwise."

He crossed his arms and gave her an amused look. "Try me."

She shook her head. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I just…" she trailed off as the room began to spin. Her headache pounded glaringly and she got that lightheaded feeling again. Not good.

John watched her as she staggered forward and gasped. She looked up at him and choked, "Help me."

Oh no; she was going to faint again. Exactly not what he wanted to put up with. He rushed over to her side, but by the time he caught her in his arms, she was already gone.

* * *

(A/N:) Updated soon because...being sick...I have a ton of time. My mom finally took me to the doctor today though, hopefully I'll get better soon. I've been sick for nearly a month :( Anyway, I'm a little concerened I'm taking WAY too long getting into this story. But I promise things will start to move quicker in the next few chapters. I just needed to set up my...very long...introduction/beginning. Please review!!! 

-Elizabeth :)


	7. The Answer to the Question

"Miss? Miss? Can you hear me, Miss Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth groaned. She could hear voices. Two, it sounded like. One she recognized as John's, but the other was unfamiliar. She slowly opened her eyes, and immediately regretted doing so. Bright light stung fiercely in her eyes, instantly causing her to close them again. A few hours must have passed since she had passed out, for the sunlight seemed to be brighter than before. 

After a minute, she reopened her eyes and allowed the stinging pain to ebb. Her head was still throbbing and she dared not move, for fear of reliving the terrible nausea and lightheadedness that had brought her down earlier. Although, she was feeling so horrible at the moment that it seemed she had relapsed even further back, if possible. 

She tried to grasp her surroundings as well as she could through the limited view she had. She was in another room, though this one seemed to be a trifle more elaborate than her previous one. And as another upgrade, she was now lying on a bed; most likely the one John had told her about a few hours ago. She was just on top of it, not tucked under the sheets or anything, most likely because she was so…disgustingly filthy, but it was still much better than nothing.

Elizabeth jumped slightly as a hand was laid against her forehead. She looked up to see a slim middle-aged man leaning over her. He was dressed in a sterile off-white coat and had spectacles on, helping him to further examine her. She quickly concluded that he must be a doctor, and that she was his patient. Good Lord. She hadn't seen a doctor in ages. They always frightened her, reminded her of death and medicine, neither of which she greatly liked. Now she looked up at this doctor with concern, hoping that he would be able to tell her what was wrong, and praying that it wasn't anything too horrible. 

When the man noticed her staring up at him, he smiled. "Ah, the patient is awake. Wonderful." He looked down at her kindly. "You had me worried there for a minute. But no more, I'm glad you're up."

He removed his hand from her forehead and proceeded to place it under her jaw, tilting her chin upward a bit. "I beg your pardon for any possible discomfort Miss," he continued. "I just need to check a few more things and then I promise I'll leave you be. How's that sound?"

Because she was didn't dare try her voice, she simple nodded.

"Wonderful," he exclaimed. "Now, please excuse me Miss…Elizabeth, is it?"

She nodded again. 

"Well Miss Elizabeth, please excuse me but I must ask something of you that I know you most likely are not going to like very much."

Her eyes widened a bit. 

He noticed and smiled soothingly down at her. "I promise I won't do anything. Do you trust my word as a doctor?"

She was still for a minute, but then slowly nodded, even though fear shone plainly in her eyes. 

"Alright; now I need to lift up your dress to examine your torso and stomach. I think then that I can come to a conclusion. I know this is probably terribly mortifying for you, but you're not the first."

She just stared at him in horror. Lift her dress up? No way! Because, oh so lucky for her, she wasn't wearing any knickers. Doctor or not, no man except her husband could ever lay eyes on such an intimate part of her. No exceptions. 

"No!" she shouted out, and her voice immediately cracked. "No!"

He backed away from her and held his hands behind his back. Elizabeth watched him, heart racing and chest rising and falling at a rapid speed. Her heartbeat calmed a little though as she noticed that he was watching her as well, though his gaze was understanding and patient. Though minimal as it was, it comforted her a little that at least he had the manners and courtesy to not go forward without her consent. 

She sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead. If only her bloody headache would go away, then perhaps she could think straight. And the nausea coursing through her too. All she wanted was to be able to stand back on her feet. 

"What's wrong with me?" she asked, for about the fiftieth time that day. 

"I don't believe anything is wrong with you," the doctor replied.

"What?" She looked at him in disbelief. "Nothing wrong? Are you mad!" 

"I dearly hope not." He smiled. 

"Well…then….why am I so…unsteady?" she questioned. 

"Like I said, I have almost reached a conclusion, but I cannot firmly tell you without that examination. I promise you that I-"

"Oh very well!" she interrupted. "Just do it quickly before I change my mind."

He looked a little surprised by her sudden agreement, but quickly smiled. Finally, someone who understood how busy the life of a doctor is. He in fact had another patient to call on at the very moment, and was relieved she would not have to wait very long. Poor little girl, suffering a severe case of pneumonia. Her parents were worried sick. But he would worry when he got to her. For now, he would finish with this beautiful young woman, and most likely deliver some wonderful news to her in the course of a few minutes. 

"Alright." He walked back to her side and looked down at her. She indeed was rather beautiful. It was slightly difficult to tell through all the dirt and grime that coated her skin, but he could see it in her large brown eyes that she was a fair young maiden. But tush, he was happily married and loved his wife more than anything in the world. And this girl was just another of his patients. He particularly liked her intense personality though. Very fierce, and very amusing. The man who had stolen her heart was a lucky man indeed. 

He noted that a mix of fear and anger was in her eyes currently, and perhaps a bit of embarrassment as well. But he could also tell that she was intensely stubborn, and she would not back out. 

_Good and strong_, he thought with a smile. _There ought to be more girls in the world like this one._

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her dress being pushed up. She absolutely did _not_ want to see the doctor's face when she was revealed to him. How utterly mortifying this was, how completely terrible. _Why_ had she agreed to it? 

_Because you want to know what the bloody hell is up with you, that's why_, her mind yelled at her. Yes, she did very badly want to know, for she had never felt this way before…or at least she could not remember if she ever had. Not likely. 

She flinched as a hand was laid on her stomach. _Lovely. _Just lovely. 

Another minute or so later, she felt her dress hit her ankles once again. She slowly opened one eye and stared up at the doctor, heart pounding. He was smiling at her, as usual, and nodding slightly. 

"I have some news for you Miss Elizabeth," he said softly. 

She opened her other eye and looked at him nervously. "Good or bad?"

He shrugged. "Well, that's your decision, but in my mind it is good. Very good."

She tilted her head to the side a little, plainly confused. "Good?"

He nodded again. "Yes. Though before I tell you, I have one thing to ask of you."

"What?"

He gave her a knowing look. "You're not alone, are you?"

She creased her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Are you married, love?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure if it was completely legal, but…" She trailed off for a minute. "How did you…"

He smiled. "You're pregnant."

Her mouth dropped open. "What?"

He nodded. "You heard me right."

She continued just laying there blankly, shock freezing her system. It took her a minute to register the information in her brain, but when she did, it was overwhelming. She stared up at the doctor in disbelief and whispered, "I'm pregnant."

He watched as the light left her eyes and she slipped once more into unconsciousness. He sighed and shook his head. "Oh dear, there she goes again." 

Just then there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he called.

John entered slowly and approached the doctor. He glanced over and saw Elizabeth on the bed. "What happened?"

The doctor sighed. "She's gone again, poor girl." He shook his head. "Couldn't handle the news; it was too much for her."

"What news?"

He shook his head again. "I'll let her answer that. But not now." He looked over at her and smiled. "For now, let her sleep." 

* * *

(A/N:) Yay! Big news! Lizzie's pregnant :) lol. but of course everyone already knows that. obviously... ;) But yay! Now I finally get to move along! One more chapter, and then things start moving in hyperspeed...or however they spell it. lol. Please, please, please review!

-Elizabeth


	8. New Tales to Tell Old Friends

Elizabeth stared ahead of the wall, waiting as patiently as she could…which wasn't very much. Two days had passed since the day she's learned of her pregnancy, and she hadn't been able to keep it off her mind. Her morning sickness had only gotten worse, if that was possible, but she was toughing it out. She would do anything without hesitation, _anything_, when given the chance to have a child of her own. She knew she was rather young, but that didn't matter all that much to her. She was ready; she could handle it.

She was currently seated outside of an office that she had only been in a few times in her eight years at Port Royal. It was the office of the head of the Royal Navy; the man second-in-command of the town, after the governor. When Beckett had taken over, it had been his office. All she remembered about it was a large map of the world painted on the left wall, and the right wall was entirely windows with one door leading outside to the harbor. She knew that, for she had used that door once to escape the town and the gallows she faced.

Suddenly the office door opened and John came out. He looked down at her and smiled. "Ready to meet the Commodore, Miss?"

Elizabeth's heart gave a little jump at the word Commodore, but then she remembered that James was dead. It couldn't be him. She sighed and nodded. "Yes, I suppose."

"Alright. You're just going to go in and tell him why you were trespassing on the governor's mansion. Also, he's a bit curious about that chest of yours. Might ask you a few questions."

Her head shot up and she stared at him in terror. He noticed and raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"Where is the chest? Does he have it?" He could hear the fear in her voice and instantly his own curiosity of his chest doubled.

"Yes, he does have it. But he didn't give it to you if you ask him. The Commodore's not one to keep things worthless to him."

She could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth, and that lessened the guilt her heart was carrying. "Can I see him now?"

He nodded. "Follow me."

Elizabeth straightened up as she walked through the door, head held high to cover her fear. She could see a man sitting down at the desk apposite where she was standing. She couldn't see his face though because he was looking down at some papers and books. She felt her heart quicken a bit, but tried to hide the terror in her eyes by pouting her lips and pushing her shoulders back. She shouldn't be afraid. She'd faced so many unthinkable things…why was she suddenly so susceptible to foolish emotion?

"She's here sir," John called to the man.

As he looked up from his desk, Elizabeth instantly lost her composure. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened a bit. She attempted to speak, but the result was her opening and closing her mouth like a fish. She was in so much shock though, she hardly noticed.

The Commodore himself had a similar reaction to her appearance, but he had a wide smile on his face. Even through all of her dirt and grime, he instantly recognized her. He laughed and shook his head in disbelief. "Well, well, well; if it isn't Elizabeth Swann."

She grinned. "Henry!"

As she rushed over to greet him, John spoke. "Wait, did you say…Swann? As in Elizabeth Swann, daughter of the ex-governor?"

She shrugged meekly. "I told you I couldn't tell you who I was. Like I said, you wouldn't have believed me."

"But you were…dead!"

She laughed. "Well obviously not. I just disappeared."

"What do you mean _just_ disappeared? You act like that's not a big deal. Hundreds of people set out looking for you!"

"Yes, and they wanted to kill me. All the better reason for me to stay hidden. Make people think I was gone for good." She sighed. "But I missed home. And after Beckett died…"

"Wait, how did you know of Lord Beckett's death?"

She hesitated. True, it had been with her help that the tyrant had fallen, but she wasn't about to let that be known. "Word eventually reached my vessel."

"_Your_ vessel? You mean you have a ship?"

"Well…" She frantically looked around the room for a minute before letting her eyes rest on Henry. True, she had not seen him in near four years and things had surely changed, but still she hoped he would back her up as he had so many times in the past.

Henry caught her eye and nodded. He looked over at John and said, "Leave the poor girl alone, John. Let her talk if she wants to, don't make her."

John looked as if he had a million more questions to ask, but he kept his mouth shut. Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief, for she really wasn't up to questioning. She would eventually tell her tale, but first to Henry. He was an old friend after all, one she trusted with her life.

"Henry," she started, "It's so wonderful to see you again. What's it been…three and a half years? Why did you leave Port Royal?"

"I should ask you that too. I've only been back a month or so, but I found out of your disappearance within the first few days. It caused quite a stir apparently."

She shrugged. "I just had to get away for a while. It's a long story that I will tell you someday." Suddenly she remembered the chest, and gave him a pleading look. "Do you have my chest? Can I please have it back? It's all that I've had the past month, and I care about it very dearly."

He creased his eyebrows for a minute, trying to remember. After a minute, he exclaimed, "Ah, that chest. Yes, of course you can have it; I don't want to be a thief." He disappeared for a moment behind his desk and then reappeared holding the Dead Man's Chest. "Here you go."

She gently took it from his grasp and clutched it to her body. Thank God she had it back. "Thank you Henry."

He nodded. "Alright. Well Miss Swann…"

"Actually," she interrupted. "I'm not Miss Swann anymore."

"No?" He sounded surprised…and confused.

She shook her head. "No. I'm married…I think."

He raised his eyebrows. "You think?"

She laughed. "You're right…that does sound rather strange, doesn't it? I meant I'm not exactly sure if it was completely legal."

He continued giving her that strange look, but now he looked a bit amused. "And why is that so?"

Elizabeth sighed. "Well…we had a captain marry us, so that part is legal, but the actual wedding was…"

"Yes?"

She struggled to find the right words. "It's really complicated, and it _was_ complicated…and confusing. The whole thing lasted about three minutes…maybe four with all the fighting and interruptions…"

"What?"

She shrugged meekly. "Like I said, it's complicated."

"It sounds like it."

She nodded. "But yes…I guess I'm married."

"Who's the lucky man?" he asked with a grin. "I think I may know, but…"

"Guess." She smiled. "If your memory is as good as I remember, you should be able to guess."

"Is he a certain young blacksmith that you were always sneaking off to see?"

She blushed. "Not always."

"I knew it. Congratulations Mrs. Turner."

Elizabeth beamed. "Thank you very much."

"Now," he started, "Back to business."

"Business such as…"

"A lot of things. Now that you're back, you can take your rightful place as head of Port Royal."

"What?" She practically shouted it out.

He looked at her amusedly. "Your father was the governor, and now that he has passed, his title becomes yours. Simple as that."

"But I'm a woman," she exclaimed.

"Yes, and I'm a man," he stated with a grin. "I'm glad we've established that."

She gave him a slight punch in the shoulder. "Oh, you know what I mean."

He nodded. "Yes I do. I know it may sound strange to have a woman governing a town, but apparently it's possible." He shrugged. "And we have no one truly running us at the moment."

"Wait…if I'm governor…does that mean that I get my mansion back?"

He nodded. "It's vacant as we speak."

"But I saw burning candles in the windows a few nights ago, and the doors were locked."

"Well of course the doors would be locked," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "If they weren't, anyone could come waltzing in. And all your things are still in there."

"Really?"

He nodded once again. "Nothing has been moved since your father's death. You should find every room exactly as you left it."

She sighed and smiled gratefully. "Thank you. But about governing…I just don't know if I can."

"I'm sure you can. I know you Elizabeth, don't forget that."

She smiled again. "Yes, I'm afraid you know me too well. But that was then; I'm a completely different person than I was four years ago."

"And how is that so?"

"I shall tell you another day." She started walking towards the door, passing a still stunned John who watched her with disbelief. When she reached the doorway, she turned back to look at Henry again. "As for today, I would very much like to see my home again."

He smiled and nodded. "As you wish, Governor."

* * *

(A/N:) Here's chapter 8. I thought it would be kinda interesting to make Lizzie governor...see what happens. I don't really know yet. I'm still working on it ;) Please review if you like the story!! ...or if you hate it. I really don't care.

-Elizabeth


	9. The Life I Lived Before

Word spread quickly about Elizabeth's return to Port Royal. In a matter of weeks, the whole of Jamaica had heard the news. Every day she was getting new visitors at the mansion, all welcoming her back and all asking the same question: where had she disappeared to? She of course never told them, for it would take much too long. And more importantly, telling could put her life in danger, as well as the whole pirate race. Shipwreck Cove was their headquarters, and well-defended as it was, no power could truly match that of the crown of England. But thankfully, she had helped to destroy one of the crown's main tools: The East India Trading Company. She no longer had to fear answering her door and being arrested, and that was a huge comfort.

About two months had passed since her return to Port Royal, and she was quite content with her life. It hadn't taken very long to slip back into the richness and comfort of the old days, though she always knew that it wouldn't. And in truth, the old days were not so very old at all. She had been twenty when Captain Jack Sparrow had first sailed into her hometown and changed her life drastically. And she was a new twenty-one when she had set off to once again seek his help, this time to save her fiancé. And as she stood right now, gazing out her bedroom window at the ocean waves crashing against the shores of her little town, she was still twenty-one. And she still had much of that year to live. It was currently the middle of March, and the day of her birth fell at the very beginning of the year's closing month.

"Miss Elizabeth?"

She turned around to see one of her maids, Emily, standing in her doorway, posed in a slight curtsey. Elizabeth smiled. She had finally convinced the members of her household to call her by Christian name, even if the title Miss had to be added. As much as she loved to hear her name as Governor Turner, it was just far too proper for the people that lived with her and so wonderfully took care of her. Outside the mansion, she of course was known as the proper governor, but inside there was no need for such.

"Good morning Emily," she said lightly.

"Good morning Miss." Emily came to stand at her full 5'6" and smiled at her mistress. "Your breakfast is ready downstairs in the dining hall."

"Thank you. Will you please give dear cook Mary my gratitude?"

"Aye Miss." She gave another curtsey before disappearing down the hall.

Elizabeth continued to stand for a minute and just stare out into the hallway, listening to Emily's footsteps grown fainter and fainter. She sighed and walked over to her vanity, examining herself in the mirror. She smiled at what she saw. She once more had her pale, healthy skin, and her hair was back to its original silky waves. One of the first things she had done on her return to the mansion was taken a bath. She had not had one in weeks, and the feel of the warm water caressing her worn skin had been heavenly.

She tossed her hair over her shoulder and shook her head slightly to spread it out. Then, satisfied, she walked out of her room and started down the hallway. Once she had reached the staircase overlooking the large foyer, she came to a halt. Carefully, she stepped over the top step, for it was broken and always emitted quite a loud and irksome squeak when stepped on. It was her fault though, for at age twelve she and Will had been running up the stairs and she'd tripped and banged the step up…as well as her knee. But it really was her dress's fault, for it had been much too long for someone as athletic as her. Elizabeth smiled and shook her head at the memory.

As soon as she reached the dining hall, the powerful smell of freshly made pancakes and rich maple syrup welcomed her graciously. She breathed in the sweet smell and sighed. Meals on the _Black Pearl_ had certainly been more exciting and eventful than ones in Port Royal, but the food here was much…better. Pirates indeed had many wonderful skills, but cooking was not one of them. She herself was no exception, which was exactly why she had a cook.

Elizabeth seated herself at the head of the long ornate oak table stretching through the dining hall. Her breakfast was then brought to her by Emily, who curtsied and said she'd thanked Mary. Before she left, she filled her mistress's glass with fresh milk, causing Elizabeth to sigh slightly. Because of her pregnancy, she wasn't allowed any alcohol; apparently it was bad for the baby. For the past two months she hadn't had a drop of wine, which was torture.

She looked at Emily pleadingly. "Is there still no chance of getting even a sip of wine, Emily?"

She shook her head. "No Miss, I'm sorry. I would love to let you, but you made me promise that I wouldn't let you have any under any circumstances."

Elizabeth sighed. "Yes, I know. Thank you Emily."

"You're welcome Miss." She curtsied and hurried out of the room, most likely going off to do the laundry or make the bed.

Once alone, Elizabeth began to eat her breakfast, stopping occasionally to savor the food's wonderful taste. In a matter of minutes, she rose to her feet and carried her plate into the kitchen. Mary was quite surprised to see her, and told her most diligently that she did not have to bring in her own dishes; that was Emily's job.

"Oh Mary," she replied with a laugh. "I feel so worthless when I do nothing."

"But you must stay off your feet, Lizzie!" she said.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Of all the maids and workers at her mansion, Mary was the only one who truly took to heart that she could call her mistress as she pleased. Elizabeth found it quite amusing that her shy and protective cook would be the one to call her Lizzie, and Lizzie…not even Elizabeth! She didn't mind though, she rather liked it and thought it a gesture of familiarity.

"Mary, really. I'm only three months; I'm fine."

The young cook sighed and shook her head. "I may be sixteen Lizzie, but I know my fair share. I just think you should take it easy."

"I know Mary; I will. But what does this have to do with my bringing you dishes?"

Mary shrugged. "I trailed off a bit. I just know that you were planning to sail to Singapore soon…"

Elizabeth swiftly pressed her hand over the younger girl's mouth. "Not so loud," she hissed.

Mary nodded dutifully and was then released. "I'm sorry Lizzie."

"It's fine." She smiled.

Elizabeth adored Mary; she was her personal favorite of the mansion. And she was such a sweet girl; it was hard not to like her. She was so overly protective of her mistress; it gave such a huge sense of comfort to Elizabeth. And Mary was true and loyal, which was exactly why she had been trusted with all of Elizabeth's secrets. She had just so desperately needed someone to tell, and Mary was there to listen. At first she had seemed wary and doubtful, but when Elizabeth had showed her the chest she believed every word.

"Please don't go!" Mary pleaded. "It's so dangerous!"

"I know," she replied. "But I have to go. Don't forget; I'm the King of the Brethren Court and I must lead the meetings."

"But I thought those were in Shipwreck Cove."

"They are. But I need my ship and crew."

"Oh Lizzie!" she exclaimed. "Please don't go!"

"I have to. It's my burden that I am forced to bear."

"Then take me with you!" she pleaded.

"Absolutely not," Elizabeth said sharply.

"Oh please!" she begged. "I can't let you go off alone. I have to protect you!"

"Mary, I'll be fine," she said, reaching out and running her fingers through the younger girl's soft black hair. "Besides, I'll only be gone a few days. Brethren Court meetings are known for being notoriously short."

Mary looked up at her desperately, but she knew the answer was final. She averted her gaze and nodded dutifully. "Alright."

Elizabeth smiled. "Good girl. Why don't you go down to the market and get some more herbs and imports?"

She nodded again. "Alright." She paused for a minute and then looked up at her mistress. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course. Let me get my hat."

"Mary smiled. "Aye Lizzie. I'll meet you at the entrance door."

A few minutes later the two girls were walking along the streets of the little town; the taller one dressed in a beautiful green silk gown, and the smaller wearing her red cotton dress and grease-stained apron.

Occasionally someone would stop to greet them or wish them good day, to which they smiled and returned the gesture. By now Elizabeth had gotten quite used to being called Governor; it had taken a while, but now she basked in the praise and respect showered on her. She of course didn't let it show for propriety's sake, but she rather enjoyed the attention.

Mary pulled out a little piece of paper from the pocket of her apron and examined it with her eyebrows creased. "I made a list of some things it might be useful to have on hand," she explained to Elizabeth, who was attempting to read over her shoulder.

"Oh. And what might those things be?"

"Maybe some parsley and tomatoes and a few dozen hen eggs," Mary read from the list. "Also, I think the kitchen is low on cinnamon and ginger."

Elizabeth nodded. "Alright." She looked up at the busy market ahead and sighed. Dropping a few coins into the younger girl's hand, she said, "Prove to me that you're the best inside and outside the kitchen."

Mary smiled. "Aye Lizzie."

The Governor watched as the young girl walked off and disappeared into the crowd. She smiled and began to follow her, a list of things to be done before she sailed forming in her mind.

* * *

(A/N:) Lol. I hadn't planned on updating so soon, but I just _had_ to...seeing as it's my birthday :) And this story is about Elizabeth Swann (or Turner lol) who is played by Keira Knightley, and her 23rd birthday was today too. Well...yesterday for the people in England. Lol. It's only 10pm in California ;)

Chapter 10 is done. Expect it up in a few days...but maybe I'll wait until I get a few more reviews -hint hint- Lol. Please let me know what you think!

-Elizabeth


	10. Burdens of the Pirate King

Elizabeth stared out at the long table before her. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips were drawn in one of her classic annoyed pouts. She sighed and brought her hand to her forehead and rubbed hard, frustrated. As to be expected, disaster was occurring. Shout and cries could be heard from the room, along with the occasional shattering of glass or the ring of a sword. After allowing this to go on for about five minutes, she was fed up. She pulled out her pistol and fired a shot up at the ceiling. Instantly, the noise died down and all eyes were on her.

"Will you be seated please," she said in a mildly bitter tone.

Silently the members of the room obeyed her command. Once everyone had taken their seat, she stared out at the table once again. Only this time, she could properly see who was where and here and all the details such as that. Her eyes scanned each of the pirate lords' faces, as well as the crew they'd brought with them. As she passed over Captain Barbossa, a thin smirk formed on her lips. She hadn't seen him since the day he had married her and Will, and while that had only been about four months ago, he looked different. Distinctly different. Older. Perhaps the time would soon come for him to sail his last adventure. But she would ask him about that later.

She frowned as she looked upon the empty chair next to Barbossa. True, she hadn't really expected Captain Sparrow to show up, but a part of her still wished he would have. She hadn't seen him since her wedding day either, and she missed him. But on the other hand, she'd been able to stay out of trouble since his departing…or rather, hers. She wondered what he was doing that was more important that coming to a _mandatory_ Brethren Court Meeting. It could be something truly important…but knowing this was _Jack_…she rather doubted it. She sighed. Oh well…best to get on with the meeting then.

Before she could open her mouth to start, Mistress Ching motioned towards Jack's empty chair and demanded to know why not all of the lords were present. Elizabeth merely shrugged and said she was wondering the same thing. By this time, several of the other lords were now also shouting at her, outraged that they had to be present while others did not. She just replied that they _did_, but for some reason or another, they had simply ignored her order. Oh yes, Jack had ignored her. But she was used to that by now.

She tried to settle the room once again, but failed. It was _impossible_ to calm eight…or rather, seven stubborn and hostile pirates, and even better yet stubborn and hostile pirate _lords_ from seven different parts of the world. Why? Because firstly, they all followed different rules; the main code was just considered more as _guidelines_. Secondly, they were all used to being in command of their own ships and refused to yield to other's commands. And finally, they were pirates. That was the main reason. _Pirates_. Nothing she could really do about that.

With a frustrated growl, she pulled out her pistol again and fired another shot. The room was silenced for a minute, but only a minute. Then it was back to its chaotic and maddening state. Elizabeth threw back her head and sighed. She knew she had the potential to be a powerful leader, but she just didn't have the motivation. She would much rather be back at home in her bed, being tended to by Emily and Mary. She was nearly four months along, and she was beginning to grow a bit weaker every day from the extra strength she had to put out to accomplish simple tasks. She cringed at the thought of where she'd be in another four months. Then it would be impossible to move. Oh joy.

Looking around at the disaster before her, she just wanted to scream. Scream and throw a fit and shoot anyone that tried to stop her. She could if she truly desired to. She was the Pirate _King_ after all. But she had no desire to be branded as an unstable and psychiatric tyrant for the rest of her days. That could cause some major complications later on.

Suddenly, the sound of a bullet echoed throughout the large room. The noise ricocheted off the walls and instantly silenced all. Elizabeth looked up to the right to see Captain Teague leaning against the staircase leading down from his quarters, a fine line of smoke trailing up from his pistol. She sighed in relief and sent him a quiet thank you. He caught her eye and smiled that signature grin that had been passed down to his son. She couldn't help but smile back as he descended the old wooden stairs.

"'Morning King Turner," he greeted her in his naturally gruff voice.

"Good morning Captain Teague," she replied. "So we meet again."

He grinned. "I always knew it wasn't the end that day when you sailed off to your little island. I knew we'd meet once more."

She smirked. "I'm the Pirate King. You're never through with me."

He nodded. "Aye, 'tis as true a fact as ever."

She watched him as he spoke, and then nodded a bit and smiled. "I can hear you're son in you so clearly, you know that?"

"Jackie?"

She laughed. "Yes, little Jackie."

He smiled again. "Try telling him that."

"I will the next time I see him. By the way, do you know where he is?"

The old pirate shook his head. "Haven't seen or heard from him in a couple of months. Not since I last saw you."

"Oh." She looked slightly disappointed, but quickly changed her expression to one of gratitude. "Thank you for saving me. Now I can finally start this damn meeting and get back home."

He laughed. "Any time, Elizabeth."

She smiled and then turned to face the rest of the Brethren Court, who hadn't moved since Teague had arrived. They were all staring up at him with slight fear showing in their eyes. The man certainly knew how to intimidate others, that was for sure. After a minute of silence, he spoke.

"Now I want you all to listen to Captain Turner. She is your _king_ after all, and you must follow her commands."

Several of the pirates grumbled and muttered under their breath, which caused Teague to raise his pistol and shoot again. "You will listen to her! She may be a woman, a young woman coming from a dignified societal background, but that does not brand her as anything! Do you not forget that my own son was once an esteemed patron and sailor of the East India Trading Company? And just because he chose that path at first didn't mean he couldn't change it later on and become a legend. Yes, Jack can be thoughtless and nonsensical at times, but he is still a great pirate. Just like this beautiful young lady next to me." He glanced over at her and winked. "Do you not forget that it was with her help and guidance that the East India Trading Company, the biggest threat to the pirate race, was destroyed? She saved us, and we should at least give her the respect to let her do her job. Please, listen to what she has to say."

Elizabeth stared at Teague in shock. She couldn't believe what had just happened, what he'd said. Her, a great pirate? She smiled to herself, allowing a bit of pride to shine through her eyes. Her, a great pirate. Maybe someday she would become a legend; King/Captain Elizabeth Swann-Turner, the destroyer of the East India Trading Company and the king of the pirates. Maybe she could be put down in the books, right next to Jack. Captain Jack Sparrow, a true legend. And her husband as well, he must be put down next to her too. Surely he too would become a legend, for his post was too renowned.

"Thank you Teague," she whispered to him.

He smiled and nodded. "Any time, Elizabeth. Any time."

She grinned and stared out at her comrades, momentarily basking in the glory of being ruler of an entire race. And a race that she loved so much. While it was true that she did want to give up piracy herself, her love and fascination would never cease. Her tie to their world was unbreakable.

"This meeting has been called on behalf of complications several have faced with the known goddess Calypso over the course of the past few months. She has destroyed three fleets and created four hurricanes. Ladies and gentleman, we must stop her."

Several cries broke out as half of the pirate lords rose to their feet, fists and swords raised. Elizabeth ducked as a rum bottle was hurled towards her, letting it shatter against the wall behind her. She reached for her pistol to fire at the offending pirate, but Teague beat her to it. She heard a gunshot and looked up to see a member of Gentleman Jocard's crew on the ground, dead. She was used to sudden deaths by now, and even though she herself had caused many, they still frightened her a bit.

"She is right!" Teague shouted sharply. "Calypso is far too dangerous to be allowed so much freedom! We were much safer when she was bound to human form, and I fear we may have to bind her again."

Appalled gasps and shouts echoed through the room as each of the lords shook their heads firmly and pulled their weapons on Elizabeth.

"We cannot take the risk again!" Mistress Ching shouted. "She will kill us!"

"Aye! We wouldn't stand a chance!" Sri Sumbhajee yelled indignantly.

"But we have to try," Elizabeth declared.

"No King Turner, we must not." Captain Barbossa stared up at her and shook his head. "It is a near impossible task to capture a goddess, and it could greatly endanger your life and the life of your child."

She stared down at her stomach, which had now rounded a bit and showed a visible bump. She sighed and gently placed her hand on where her baby lay, suddenly knowing that he was right. If her defenseless baby was slain before it could breathe the world's sweet air…it was too horrible to even think about.

Elizabeth looked at Barbossa and slowly nodded. It was true that she really didn't want to go on a hunt for the Heathen goddess, but she hated just giving up. A few months ago, she would have happily gone after her, but a few months ago she would have had her love at her side, along with the captain and crew that she had grown to know and love. And she would not have had the danger of losing her child.

"Alright" She nodded again. Then what should we do?"

He let out a deep sigh. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" She exclaimed. "Just let her continue to cause havoc and destruction whenever she feels like it? We can't!"

"But we can't do anything," Teague suddenly spoke up. "I believe it might cost us dearly if we try to bring her down. It was nearly unbearable binding her the fist time, and back then she hadn't been as strong."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and cupped her chin in her hand. After a minute of silence she asked, "So we just let her go?"

"Aye."

She opened her eyes and rubbed them with the back of her hand. She was so exhausted, and she just wanted to go home. "Alright." She stared out at the pirate lords, who had remained silent as they watched the deciding conversation. "I declare this meeting closed. Thank you for coming."

There was a loud scraping as everyone rose from their seats and exited the room. Soon, only two men remained in the room with her, and they were Captain Teague and Captain Barbossa. Elizabeth stared up at them both as she collapsed into her chair, absolutely spent. Running two…social groups as you could call them, was brutal work.

"You look tired," Barbossa noted.

She smirked. "I am. Too much work."

"Aye. You really should take it easy Elizabeth," Teague said.

She nodded. "I intend to go straight home after you two leave and not leave my mansion until at least a year after this baby is born." She patted her belly gently.

The two elder pirates smiled at her.

"It must be a wonderful feeling," Teague said softly.

The Pirate King creased her eyebrows. "What?"

"Knowing that you're going to be a mother soon."

She beamed. "Oh yes, it is. It's incredible. I cried when I first found out." She smirked. "Well, I actually fainted first, and then I cried."

Barbossa laughed. "Yes, you tend to do that quite a lot."

"Faint?" she asked.

He nodded. "I've yet to see you in tears."

"Well I don't cry very often. I just have a lot in the past few months. But the fainting…" She sighed. "That runs in my family. Horrible trait, isn't it?"

He shrugged. "You could say that."

There was a long pause before Teague spoke. "Well Elizabeth, we'd best let you on your way. I'm sure your town is waiting for you to return."

She nodded. "Yes, they all think I'm away in England. It's quite funny actually; getting away with all this without raising any suspicions. I suppose there are a few positive quirks to being governor."

He nodded his agreement. "Aye, indeed. I've yet to have the power of running a town though, so I cannot know for sure."

Elizabeth gave him a puzzled look. "But I thought you ran Shipwreck Cove."

The old pirate shook his head. "Never entirely. But I don't need that power. Besides, someone else is already Governor."

"Who?"

He smirked. "You."

Her eyes widened. "Me?"

Teague nodded. "Aye. The Pirate King is the sole ruler of Shipwreck Cove."

"But I'm hardly ever here!"

"That's why you have me." He grinned. "I don't make the laws of the cove as you can, but I can still keep things under control while you're gone."

"Oh really?" She gave him an amused look.

"Well…under control meaning equal to Tortuga."

She laughed. "I suppose that's good enough." She glanced out one of the large glass windows to see her ship anchored securely in the harbor. It was a bit windy out, and the sail billowed slightly in the breeze. She sighed and turned back to the captains. "Well, I'm sorry, but I really think I ought to be going."

They nodded.

"Aye Elizabeth," Teague said with a smile. "Until we meet again." He took her hand and gently pressed his lips to it before releasing it.

"Goodbye Captain Teague," she said. "Please write me if you hear anything from your son."

He chuckled. "Little Jackie? Oh yes, I'll make sure he writes to you himself. He's got quite a soft spot for you, you know?"

She smiled and blushed slightly. "Yes, well…please remind him that I'm already married with a baby on the way."

The old pirate laughed. "Aye, that I can do."

She smiled. Turning to Barbossa, she said, "Goodbye Captain Barbossa. It was a pleasure seeing you again."

He tipped his hat in respect. "Same to you Mrs. Turner."

She smirked. "That's King Turner to you."

He laughed. "Aye. Goodbye Elizabeth."

She nodded slightly. "Goodbye."

The two pirates watched as their beautiful young king walked out of the room with her head held high, a bright smile painted on her full lips. She was going home, and finally getting the rest she deserved.

* * *

(A/N:) Not much to say for this chapter...I liked writing it though. I had fun with Lizzie as the Pirate King. I debated for a while whether or not I wanted to have her keep the position (with her giving up piracy and all) but I guess I like it too much :) Long Live the Pirate King!

-Elizabeth


	11. Catching Up to Do

Elizabeth stared out at the approaching harbor with building anticipation. She had been gone nearly two weeks, for the return journey had taken a bit longer than planned, due to fierce weather conditions. But now she was home again, finally. A smile graced her lips as her ship, the _White Horizon_ sailed closer and closer to the shore. Her pirate junk, the _Empress,_ was docked safely in Singapore, where she always left it for Brethren Court business. She wouldn't dare sail it into Port Royal, for it could cause some serious trouble.

She gazed at some of the ships that were already docked, admiring the names and intricate carvings. As the _White Horizon_ pulled into a section of the harbor reserved for the noble ships, she let her eyes wander a beautiful ship called the _Winter Storm_. It was a dark almond colored ship with large and perfectly white sails.

As she was looking at the great ship, something else caught her eye. It was much smaller and completely out of place; a small dark-wood dinghy. It wasn't supposed to be in this section of the harbor, but she found herself more amused than angered. She raised her eyebrow and allowed a smirk to form on her lips.

"What in the world?" she thought aloud.

She squinted to try to read the name printed on its side, but discovered that it was only a symbol advertising some restaurant in Tortuga. She shook her head and was about to laugh, when it hit her. _Tortuga._ Her heart skipped a beat. Now that wasn't a name you heard everyday in such a societal town as Port Royal. Her eyes shot up to the miniature flag blowing in the mild breeze atop the dinghy, and she let out a small gasp. The black flag was adorned with a skull and crossbones, as well as a small red bird. _Pirates. _And not just any pirates, for she knew that bird far too well. Captain Jack Sparrow.

He was here.

Her first reaction was to panic. _Was he up at the mansion? How long had he been here? Had he been waiting a long time? _

These and other questions flooded her mind, the worst and most likely one being: _Did he get arrested?_

Her eyes widened at the thought and she raced down to the lower deck and urged the captain to speed the docking. He was slightly confused by her demand, but nonetheless proceeded to safely dock the ship. The minute she could, she dashed off the ship and started running towards the mansion, holding up her skirts so that she wouldn't trip. In most cases she wouldn't have run, for she was getting rather peculiar and amused looks from the townsfolk as they watched their governor race by. But this was important. Jack was the only real friend she had left, save for Will. She_ did_ have Teague and Barbossa, as well as the servants at the mansion…but it just wasn't the same. They hadn't been through _everything_ that she, Jack, and Will had. They were constantly being forced to team up against countless obstacles and such, but she didn't mind at all. On the contrary she rather enjoyed the adventures. She loved fighting side by side with the men, on equal standing.

Once she reached the mansion doors, she stopped to catch her breath. Running was exhausting work, especially when you were nearly five months pregnant. After a minute she threw open the doors and stumbled into the foyer, running straight into a man standing in the middle of the room. She looked up into his face and let out a gasp. It was Jack.

"Jack," she breathed, still panting from her run.

He raised an eyebrow as he watched her struggle to regain her composure. "Well 'ello love. You seem a bit worn out."

She nodded and motioned out the front door. "I ran all the way from the docks." She smiled slightly. "I saw your ship."

He gave her another peculiar look. "My ship, eh?"

She blushed. "Well, your…your…"

"Dinghy?"

She nodded meekly.

"Pathetic, isn't it."

She shrugged. "Just a little."

Jack crossed his arms and sighed. "Ah, it's horrible. Bloody Barbossa came and stole my ship."

Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. "Oh Jack, you really need to learn to keep a better eye on your things."

"I know, but I was momentarily distracted at the time being."

"Distracted?" She raised her eyebrow.

He nodded.

"Distracted as in you were off stripping the local wenches?"

"Maybe."

She rolled her eyes.

"Just kidding, love." He grinned. "Though I was entertaining two lovely young ladies by the names of Scarlett Knight and Giselle Ashford."

She groaned. "Them again?"

"What?"

"Jack, when are you actually going to put your charms to good use and get into a serious relationship?"

He paused to ponder her question for a minute. "The day you leave your dearly beloved."

"Which will be never!" she exclaimed.

"Exactly." He pointed his finger to emphasize his point.

She sighed again. "I give up on you."

He smirked. "If you had known better you would have a long time ago."

"Yes, I really should have."

Jack's eyes hadn't left her face for a moment. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, maybe even more so. But, he had to keep reminding himself, she was off limits. She would be his downfall if he didn't watch himself more closely. If he ever fell in love with her…uuggghhh. He cringed slightly at the thought. Captain Jack Sparrow, the legendary pirate who let it all go for the woman who had killed him. Pathetic.

"Jack?"

He was snapped from his trance at her voice. "Hmmm?"

"I asked, what brings you to Port Royal?"

He sighed. "'Tis a long story Lizzie love. Shall I tell it to you another day?"

"Another day?" She raised her eyebrows. "You mean you're staying here?"

"Well…not at the mansion anyway," he said. "But I had planned on staying a few nights down at the Blackbird Inn."

"Oh no Jack. I can't let you stay there!" she said, shaking her head.

"Why not?" he questioned.

"That's where all the poor drunks stay!"

He shot her a scathing look.

"Oh don't look at me like that!" she snapped. "You're not one of them."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really. Jack, I _can't_ let you stay there."

"Fine, then where _am_ I supposed to stay?"

"Here," she said simply.

"The mansion?"

She nodded. "I've got plenty of room to spare."

"Are you sure Lizzie?"

"Absolutely. Besides, it seems we have some catching up to do."

He noticed that she was constantly placing her hand on her stomach, and it wasn't until he took the time to look away from her face that he realized how swollen it was. He raised his eyebrow and gave her a lopsided grin. "Yes, it would seem that we have a lot of catching up to do."

* * *

(A/N:) Hah! I said I'd get to it eventually, and I finally have! Jack has now sailed into the story. Liz will still of course be the main character, but he'll take the lead opposite her. I'm personally not much of a Jack fan myself, but I hope this will satisfy those of you who are :) Please review! I'm beginning to think this story is boring everyone to death...which it probably is. Lol. Like I said, I take a while to actually get anywhere. I love details a bit too much...but please, let me know what you think! Should I keep writing it?

-Lizzie


	12. Trouble at the Mansion

"Lizzie!"

Elizabeth jumped as Jack burst into her room, eyes wide with terror.

"What is it now?" she asked.

"It's horrible. I won't stand for it!" he exclaimed, waving his hand around as if trying to emphasize his point.

"Won't stand for what?" she asked a little more anxiously.

"Your girl worker people…," he struggled.

"Maids?"

"Aha! Yes, them!" he said triumphantly.

"What did they do to you?"

"Oh, it's terrible! They're trying to get me into a bath!"

She raised her eyebrows. "And what's so terrible about that?"

"Everything!"

She sighed and smacked one of her hands to her forehead rather roughtly. It had only been a few hours, but she could tell that letting Jack stay at the mansion had been a big mistake on her part. He was everything the societal life was not. He was entertaining yes, and wonderful company, but every little detail of her life now seemed to cause a problem with him.

"Jack, there is nothing wrong with being clean every now and then."

"Me? I'm fine," he attempted. "I smell fine."

"I'm sure you don't, but I've just grown so used to it that I can't tell."

"Exactly! Then I see no point."

"But that's just me, and not the rest of the world."

"The world's a big place Lizzie."

"Do it or I'll kick you out," she said through partially gritted teeth.

"I would happily go, love, but I have certain affairs that I need to discuss with you before I can do so."

"You can tell me over dinner," she replied, "_after _you've bathed."

"No." He crossed his arms and shook his head. "I refuse."

"Jack," she said in a threateningly low voice.

"No. You can't make me."

She sighed. "I probably could, but I really don't want to." She paused for a minute, and then a smile suddenly formed on her lips. "But then again, I suppose this is rather good practice for when I have a child to look after."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She sighed again. "It means you're acting rather childish. Honestly Jack, grow up."

"I _am_ grown up. I'm older than you."

"Well you certainly don't act like it."

"Pirate, love."

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms as well. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"It has everything to do with anything."

"Fine Jack, like I said before, I give up." She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "Just go."

"Go where?" He looked around the room.

"Just _go_."

"Oh, right. Much thanks, Lizzie love."

He left the room and closed the door behind him. Once she was sure he was gone, she groaned and flopped back on her bed. Why did she still have to work when she just got home? Jack could be much more work than she needed, let alone wanted.

She looked up when there was a quiet knock at her door and mumbled, "Come in."

The door was slowly opened and a rather shy Emily peered inside. She hesitated for a minute, but then said, "Begging your pardon Miss Elizabeth."

She looked up again, but this time her face brightened. "Hello Emily."

The young maid smiled meekly back. "Sorry if I'm disturbing you."

"No, not at all. I was just…" she fell back again and sighed. "I was just pondering on a rather impossible situation I have been shoved into."

Emily blinked. "Excuse me?"

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head. "Never mind. I suppose it is of little or no importance. Now, what was it that you needed?"

"Oh, it was just that your bath is ready."

She sighed. "Thank you. I'll be there in a minute."

"Aye Miss." Emily curtsied and exited the room, leaving Elizabeth alone once again.

She rose to her feet and walked over to her vanity and mirror. She frowned at what she saw. She looked dead, or at least on the way to it. Her skin wasn't as glossy as normal, and she had dark circles under her once bright youthful eyes. She was still just twenty-one, but it seemed that all her tiresome work was finally catching up with her.

With a yawn, she shuffled out of her room and down the hallway to the bathroom where a warm soak awaited her, having no idea of the infuriating events that would take place as she resided in that room.

* * *

Elizabeth sighed as Emily added another bucket of warm water to her bath. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the frame of the bath which worked as a perfect rest. _I have no idea why Jack is so against this_, she thought with a slight smile, _but he has no idea what he's missing_.

Emily hummed as she worked, darting around the bathroom, straightening things up as well as attending to Elizabeth. Once the counters were well organized and spotless, she sauntered over to her mistress and sat on a little bench directly behind her. She was humming a waltz that Elizabeth didn't recognize, but it was still very beautiful.

She tilted her head back even further as Emily began to run a brush through her still-dry hair. After a minute, she was instructed to dunk her head in the water, being careful not to get any of the soap-bubbled surface in her eyes. Elizabeth obliged to her maid's commands, too relaxed to ponder on the fact that she was perfectly capable of doing this all herself. But she was so lazy, it felt nice to not have to lift a finger after all the work she _had_ done. And Emily was so thorough and gentle, almost impossibly perfect. Oh how she loved the quirks that came with being Governor.

"Lean back please," called Emily's soft songbird voice.

Elizabeth leaned her head back against the edge again, this time so that Emily could shampoo her hair. The rich luscious smell of lavender and jasmine soon filled her nostrils, making her breathe in deeply and smile.

"You like that smell, Miss?" Emily herself had the same content and sleepy look on her face, no doubt due to the many things found in the bathroom that greatly appealed to the senses. Besides the delicious smell of the floral shampoo, the steam that filled the room also helped to turn the atmosphere into a calming and quiet haven.

Elizabeth allowed her eyes to slip closed as Emily continued to thoroughly lather her hair. She was so relaxed that she was completely unaware of the heavy and swift footsteps outside in the hallway. The next moment, the door was thrown open, instantly snapping her from her trance. She didn't know whose scream was louder, hers, Emily's, or Jack's. He had rushed into the room, and his reaction showed that he had no idea where he was going. His eyes were wide, wide with the same terror that he had showed Elizabeth not thirty minutes ago.

Elizabeth clamped her hand over her mouth to stop her screaming. She flushed bright scarlet and forced herself to look directly at Jack. She was unbelievably thankful for all the bubbles and soap filling her bath, dying the water a milky color almost impossible to see through. Still, she fought the urge to curl herself up into a ball and wrap her arms across her chest.

"Jack…" she started, trying her hardest to sound threatening.

"I'm sorry love! I didn't know you were in here." His words came out a rapid speed that made it hard for her to understand him. "I was just…"

He instantly froze and his eyes widened even further, if possible. Elizabeth watched him stand as still as a rock and raised one of her eyebrows. "Jack, what is going on?"

He remained unmoving for a minute, but then he brought a finger up to his lips and motioned for her to be quiet. She growled in annoyance, wanting very much to just hurl him out of the room and slam the door. But she knew she was currently in no position to do that.

"Jack."

"Shhhhh!"

She opened her mouth to retort, but closed it as the sound of something heavy and quite possibly metal hitting a wall boomed from downstairs. Jack jumped slightly in terror as a loud and frustrated scream followed. Soon a pair of feet could be heard bounding up the stairs. Elizabeth could tell that whoever they belonged to was angry, and she had a pretty good idea of who that person was.

Jack ran to the back corner of the bathroom, where a large cupboard was. Without hesitation he yanked the doors open and forced himself inside. The doors quickly shut just as Mary came bursting into the room, eyes wild with rage.

Elizabeth groaned and let her head fall back against the rim rather hard. She was _never_ going to be able to finish her bath. But what annoyed her most was the fact that her privacy had been intruded upon, which was huge hit to her pride. _That_ was entirely Jack's fault.

"Where is that bastard?!" Mary screeched, looking from Elizabeth to Emily, who still hadn't moved since Jack's appearance. "Where is he!?"

Elizabeth sighed and pressed her hand to her forehead. _Good Lord…what has he done now?_

Mary tightened her grip on the metal pan that she had brought with her from the kitchen as she continued her ranting. "I'll rip him limb from limb! Just wait until I get my hands on him!"

_Oh dear…_Elizabeth thought. She knew Mary could have quite a temper, but she had never seen her blow up like this before. Jack _really_ must have done something, and she wasn't going to let him get away with it.

"Mary, I…" she started, but was interrupted by the furious young cook.

"I know he came in here!" she yelled. "I know it! And just you wait…"

"Mary!" Elizabeth growled, her patience wearing thin. "Will you please just tell me what the hell is going on and then get the hell out!"

She watched as Mary stared at her with wide eyes and lowered her raised pan, and knew it had been a bad decision to yell at her. Mary was a very sensitive girl and could easily have her confidence struck down. And Elizabeth knew that she looked to her for leadership and guidance…but also for comfort. And now she felt terrible for momentarily letting her anger control her actions.

She dunked her head in the bath to rid her hair of the thick shampoo, and then she jumped out and grabbed her robe from where it hung by the counter. Slowly, she walked over to Mary and pulled her into a tight embrace as the young girl began to cry.

"Lizzie," she sobbed into Elizabeth's chest.

"Shhh," Elizabeth soothed, lightly running her fingers along Mary's thick black hair. While it was true that the girls were only five years apart, Elizabeth seemed so much older in so many ways. She was definitely the dominatrix of the household; there was no doubt about that.

"Oh, what's wrong with me!?" she cried.

"There's nothing wrong with you Mary," she said lightly. "You're just sensitive. I'm sorry, it was terrible of me to yell at you like that."

"How do you do it?" she asked, pulling away so she could look up into her mistress' face.

She looked slightly confused. "Do what?"

"How are you so strong?"

Elizabeth let out a short laugh. "You really think I'm strong?"

Mary nodded as she began to wipe away her tears. Elizabeth let go of her and crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to keep warm, as the air was colder out of the water, despite the steam.

"Well…I suppose I've gotten stronger. Last year I was a mess; I wish you could have seen me. I was so lost and confused. But then I met Jack, and he brought out a newer, tougher side of me. He and Will both helped me drastically." She smirked. "Maybe I just need to throw you out on a pirate ship for a few weeks. That'll work."

"Only if you're with me," she said, her voice still shaky.

Elizabeth laughed. "Then there'd be no point."

"But I can't let you out of my sight," she whispered. "I'm too afraid."

She sighed. "Oh Mary, there's no need to be scared. The world is safer than it was before, you know that."

She nodded slowly. "Yes, I do. Thanks to you."

"Not only me."

Mary gave a small smile. "Yes, you had some help."

"Or rather, I helped someone else." Suddenly, her posture tensed a bit and she narrowed her eyes. "Speaking of that particular person reminds me; what did he do to you?"

Mary sighed. "Well…I guess I overreacted a bit. I really didn't need to-"

Elizabeth put up a hand to stop her. She shook her head and looked straight into the girl's eyes. "We're talking about Jack here. I don't think there's a way not to overreact." She sighed. "But that's not the point. The point is he did something, and I've never seen you react that way. What did he do? Oh, and by the way," she said, glancing back over her shoulder at Emily, who hadn't moved throughout the whole ordeal. "You can leave if you want Emily. I don't think I'll be finishing my bath until tonight. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Miss Elizabeth," she said quietly. She curtsied to her and then walked out the door, a slight fault in her steps.

"Now tell me," Elizabeth demanded, reaching out and putting her hand under Mary's chin, forcing her to meet her eyes.

She sighed. "Well, I was down in the kitchen making lunch for you and myself, when he sauntered in. He really startled me; I didn't hear him come in. He got up behind me and asked what I was doing, and I jumped and almost hit him in the head with the ladle." She paused. "I really should have. Then nothing would have happened."

Elizabeth smiled and dropped her hand. "Yes, you should have, but you didn't. Next time don't think better of it."

She nodded. "I won't. So then, he apologized for scaring me and asked me again what I was doing. I told him I was making your lunch, and he asked if he could help. I didn't trust him, so I said no." She sighed. "But I did have to go get a few herbs down from the storage cellar, so I told him to watch and make sure that nothing burned. I doubted he'd be able to actually do that, but I let it go. Another stupid mistake."

Elizabeth laughed. "Let me guess…"

"Everything was a burned black when I got back. I'd instructed him to stir the pasta if it started to stick or burn. Of course, he didn't follow instructions." She shook her head. "He's exactly like you described him in all your stories, but I was really hoping that he wouldn't actually be like that."

"Is that what happened then?"

"Well…that was part of it. That's what got me really frustrated. But what got me completely livid was something else entirely." She paused for a minute until Elizabeth willed her on.

"Well…you know how my mum gave me her diamond engagement ring before she died?"

She nodded. "Yes…"

"Well, I always take it off when I'm cooking, just in case something could happen to it."

Elizabeth let out a low groan. "I know where this is going." She pressed her hand to her forehead and mumbled something incoherent.

"I'd left it on the counter when I went to get the herbs. I'd forgotten to take it; I would never leave it there with a _pirate_ in the house, no matter how good a man you claim him to be. But I guess I was distracted." She shook her head. "When I got back up, he had it. I don't think he was going to steal it or anything, he honestly did look curious, but I didn't care. No one can touch that ring. It's the most valuable thing I own. You're the only one I would ever trust to handle it." She let out a deep sigh. "Of course I was furious; I grabbed a pan and hurled it at him. He's quick though, I'll give him that. He dropped my ring and ran for it. I tried to hit him again, but missed and gave the wall quite a beating. I wasn't going to let him get away though; not for the life of me."

By the time she finished, her hands were balled up into fists and her teeth were gritted together. Elizabeth gently took her hands and straightened them, and then she laid a gentle hand on Mary's cheek. She instantly relaxed, and looked as if she were about to burst into tears again.

"Mary," she said soothingly. "Calm down. There's no need for tears. You have your ring back, right?"

She slowly nodded and held up her hand for Elizabeth to see. The beautiful diamonds sparkled in the few rays of sunlight trickling through the glass window.

"Good. So now everything's alright."

Mary nodded again and relaxed. "I'm sorry."

She smiled. "It's alright. I don't mind."

"I'm sorry for interrupting your bath too…" she said meekly.

Elizabeth shook her head. "You didn't."

She looked at her questionably. "What?"

"I'm afraid someone beat you to it."

Mary flushed and her eyes grew wide. "Oh god, Lizzie! I'm so sorry!"

She just laughed. "Oh well, its fine. What's done is done." She paused and pressed a finger under her jaw. "Which reminds me…"

She tightened the belt of her robe and walked to the back corner cabinet. She gently rapped on the wooden doors. "Jack, I think its time you came out."

When there was no response, she knocked again, only a little harder.

"Jack! Get out!"

"I'm quite happy in here, thank you very much," he called from inside.

"I don't think so, Captain Sparrow." She pulled the doors open and he fell out and hit the floor with a jolt. When he got back on his feet, he was shaking slightly. His eyes were still wide as he glanced from Elizabeth to Mary, whose expression had quickly turned from shocked to infuriated.

"I'm just going to…" He started for the door, but Elizabeth grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to her.

"Oh no; you're not going anywhere. You owe both of us an apology."

"I already apologized to you!" He gave her his signature grin. "Besides, it's not like I got to see anything."

She growled and pushed him away. "Jack!"

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry I ruined bath time for you, love."

She let out another growl.

"What?"

She sighed in frustration. "Never mind, just apologize to Mary."

"For what?! She tried to kill me with a bloody pot!"

"It was a pan," Mary hissed, raising the pan for emphasis.

Jack waved his hands at her in dismissal. "Whatever."

"Jack, you need to apologize."

"What are you, my mother?"

The muscles in her jaw tightened. "Jack, just do it."

He crossed his arms. "Make me."

"As Pirate King of the Brethren Court, I demand it of you."

He scowled. "I hate it when you use that against me."

She shrugged.

"Don't forget that you became king under my doing."

"I haven't forgotten, but that doesn't change anything."

Jack scowled again, but he turned towards Mary anyway. "I'm sorry for whatever it was that I did."

"You burned my cooking!" she screeched.

"I did not! That was your own fault."

"It was not. And you took my mother's engagement ring!"

"No I didn't. It's right there on your hand!"

"Yes, but you were going to-"

"Quiet!" Elizabeth screamed, stepping between them with her arms out. "Both of you."

Jack turned away and crossed his arms again. Mary balled her hands up again and bit on her lip, fighting back tears. She turned on her heel and ran out of the room.

"Jack," Elizabeth said quietly after a minute. "Come here."

He hesitated, but dropped his arms and walked up to her.

"Closer." She motioned with her finger for him to come closer.

Again, he hesitated, but gave in because her voice was so tempting.

She smiled warmly at him for a minute and leaned in almost like she was going to kiss him, but as he began to lean in she quickly brought back her hand and slapped him sharply across the face.

He staggered back in pain; she had never slapped him before. She had a strong arm. Before he could open his mouth, she was screaming at the top of her lungs.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOU'RE MIND, YOU BLOODY IDIOT!!"

Jack flinched away from her powerful voice, but remained where he stood. "Now hold on a minute, love. That's hardly fair."

"I don't give a damn about what's fair and what's not! If you are going to live in my house, for no matter how short a time, you have to follow the rules. I'm disappointed in you and Mary, but she has a right to be upset. Jack, I know I've said this to you before, but GROW UP!!"

He opened his mouth to retort, but thought better of it. He crossed his arms ago and straightened up as much as he could. "Fine, King Turner, I'm going out for a few hours. Don't expect me until dusk."

She eased up a bit. "Fine; I'll see you then."

Without a backward glance, he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Elizabeth sighed and glanced around her at the soap-filled bath and the steam that still hung in the air.

She was finally alone.

* * *

(A/N:) Gah! Time goes by sooooo fast! I'm so sorry for making you all wait so long! I've been taking a break from writing for a few weeks to catch up on some reading. I am now officially OBSESSED with Twilight! I love it even more than Pirates!! (and believe me...that is quite a frightening thought) I read all three books in five days and now own them all in hard-cover. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself until August!! The wait for the fourth one is already killing me! Whoever you are, if you haven't read Twilight, you simply have to! They're fantastic!! So that's my excuse for not writing...

Anyway, even though I'm spending a ton more time obsessing over bella and edward (so love!!) I'll NEVER stop loving pirates, no matter what happens. so don't worry...this story isn't going to be left unfinished ;) Please forgive me for making you wait, and please review! Thanks everyone!

-Lizzie :)


	13. Pain

Elizabeth finished her last sip of water and placed her cup back on the table with a sigh. By now she had gotten used to the growl in her stomach that begged for a goblet of her favorite red wine, but that still didn't make resisting it any easier. She wasn't an alcoholic, that could remain Jack's job, but she used to always have a glass at dinner. _Just a few more months_… she thought to herself as she rose to her feet.

She glanced out the window to see the last speck of sun disappear beneath the ocean. She sighed again, thinking of how her beloved Will was probably watching the sun begin to rise. It was so hard, being away from him, and she pitied him far more than herself. She knew that he needed her, just as much that she needed him, but at least she would have some help. She would have their child to raise, to play with, to talk to, to adore. And who would he have?

She tried to push away the image of him sitting alone at the magnificent organ that resided on the _Flying Dutchman_, playing a soft and melancholy hymn, mourning his lost love.

No; their love was not lost. It would never be lost. Their bond was unbreakable, and nothing could ever change that. Not time; not even Fate herself. They were so much more than soul mates, lovers. No words could describe their impossibly true strength and devotion. They had been through so much, and there was still so much more to come…

Elizabeth held back a few tears that tried to escape her deep brown eyes. She let out a frustrated growl and forced anything to do with her Will to the back of her mind. She could cry about him later; she would. It had become a nightly routine to polish the sword he had given her on her 21st birthday, and then climb into bed with the chest, letting his heartbeat and her tears guide her down the path to her dreams.

Straightening up a bit, she pushed her hair behind her shoulders and picked up her empty plate. As she entered the kitchen to deposit it in the sink, Mary turned and gave her a weak smile. Elizabeth smiled back before disappearing back into the dining room.

She'd had a long talk with her cook after Jack had stalked off, attempting to soothe her and reassure her that nothing was her fault. Mary had tried so many times to apologize for her inappropriate flood of anger, but Elizabeth always cut her short.

"Jack has that effect on people sometimes," she'd said. "He certainly had that effect on me when I first met him."

Elizabeth shook her head now at the thought and suppressed her laughter. Oh, how Jack had annoyed her to death when they were barely acquaintances! Nearly being choked by him was bad enough, but when they'd been trapped on that island!

She allowed some of her laughter to escape. So much had changed in the course of a year. She remembered searching for him in Tortuga, and learning the secret to his precious compass. She remembered the uncomfortable flutter of her heart as he'd proposed to her on the deck of his _Pearl_, and the safety and relief she'd felt as ran into her _true_ love's welcoming arms. She remembered chasing after her three biggest fans as they nearly slashed each other to death. And finally, she remembered the spicy taste of Jack's lips as she sent him to his death. Elizabeth shuddered. That little move had nearly cost her everything: her friends, her name, and most importantly, her darling Will. Thinking back now, she didn't know how she could have been so reckless, so stupid.

At least she'd brought him back. She'd atoned for her sins and stopped the bleeding of the wounds she'd inflicted. But still, she knew that the scars would never disappear.

She didn't deserve the forgiveness she'd been so easily granted. No, it had taken a while for them both to forgive her. But they had. And she was so unworthy.

She so deserved this punishment that had been thrown onto her; separated from her love for a long and painful ten years. But he didn't. Will had done nothing wrong; nothing to earn this. It was entirely her fault, and she knew it. She was bad for him; he deserved so much better.

But he loved her, loved her with as much love as one person can possibly produce - a never-ending flow. It was painful to think of how much he loved her, even though she loved him just as much. She was destroying him; he was such a better person than she was, and the best thing she could really do was to let him go. But she was far too selfish; she could never leave him. She craved his company, his arms, his soft loving voice, far too much. She would rather die than walk away.

Elizabeth let out a deep shaky breath. Her heartbeat was now irregular, and her lungs were rattling. Such pain she was feeling right now. It was almost impossible to bear.

She had to get out. Had to escape this place that held too many memories. She grabbed her wool shawl from where it hung by the door, and stepped out into the cool night air, letting it all go.

* * *

(A/N:) Wow...realllllllllyyyyyy short chapter. Shortest one yet...I was planning on making it longer, but I found there really was nothing more to add. Actually, I hadn't planned on this at all...I was going to make ch. 13 something entirely different...but I let my hands run free...and this is what they came up with in about 25 minutes ;) lol I promise the chapters will get longer again...I've got some ideas for ch. 14...definitely won't want to miss that chapter! expect it in anywhere from 1-2 weeks. Thank you to anyone sticking with me through this story! I'm still learning :D

-Lizzie :)


	14. Desperation

YQThe streets were silent; there wasn't a single person walking on the cobblestone paths. The night was still very young, though. It was barely after sundown, on a beautiful Saturday. The emptiness was very strange, and its melancholy atmosphere only added to the grief of the one girl that hurried down these streets. She glanced around her, perhaps hoping to find another someone like herself; lost, even with all the lights shining brightly. Candles adorned all the gray walls of the shops, and the smoke of fires burning in the small houses spilled out of the chimneys and dyed the darkening sky.

A light wind blew gently on the smoke, forcing it to run back instead of forward. The hem of the girl's beautiful dress danced around her, moved by the breeze and her quick footsteps. She had her arms wrapped tightly around her shawl, pulling it down on her shoulders for its warmth and comfort. Her tears wouldn't stop.

Elizabeth Turner kept her face down as she ran, for she knew that watching the little town around her – her home – would make it unbearable to leave. And she knew that staying would be a thousand times more painful than just leaving now.

The road stretched on in front of her, the end never seeming to grow close. Her tired feet ached; throbbed in pain. But not as much as her heart.

Silently, the door of a tavern opened. A lone man stepped out, staring ahead of himself with sad eyes as his hand held a dark bottle of imported rum. It was half empty, and the liquid inside slammed back and forth against the glass as the man moved.

Jack's eyes slowly turned to watch the young girl as she passed him – her run never slowing as she grew closer and closer to the docks. For a second her face had seemed familiar, but the candles were flickering so that he couldn't tell. Her voice had seemed familiar as well; just the sound of her sobs ignited some spark in his memory. But the overpowering alcohol in his system made it impossible to think.

He sighed and started walking toward the huge mansion that rested on the large hill overlooking the town. He hoped that enough time had passed, and that his hostess – the governor, and his 'good' friend – would allow him back inside. After all, she wasn't completely heartless.

A sudden sharp cry startled him, and he turned back to see where the noise had come from. It was the girl; she had fallen to the ground and was curled up in as tight a ball as she could manage. Her heavy sobs broke through his intoxicated daze, and he let his bottle shatter against the stones as he hurried to assist her. He would normally just keep walking, but something in her cry had struck him in a way he didn't understand. And he was curious, for obvious reasons.

As he approached her – cautiously – she didn't seem to be aware of his presence. When he put a hand on her shoulder, she gasped and snapped her head up to meet his eyes. Once she caught them, recognition sparked her eyes and she averted her gaze, pulling her shoulder free from his grasp.

Jack staggered back and stared at her in shock, questioning if she was really there, or if the rich alcohol had simply created her here in front of him. He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her distraught face.

"Elizabeth?"

She slowly looked up at him from underneath her tear-stained lashes. Pain was glowing in her dark eyes.

"Lizzie, is that really you?"

She looked away again, bringing her wrist up to wipe away her tears. It did no good though; they were still steadily flowing down her face.

"What happened to you?"

Elizabeth bit down on her trembling bottom lip and swallowed back the breathless sobs that fought to overtake her. She glanced up to see Jack's eyes burning into hers, demanding answers. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head furiously, not wanting or attempting to speak. She wanted him to leave, so that she could.

Thunder exploded in the sky above them, and rain instantly followed. The quick and heavy drops slammed down on Elizabeth's vulnerable skin, throwing stabbing numbness along her face, neck, and hands. A sharp tremor shot through her system, abruptly sending her into a violent shuddering case similar to that of hypothermia. The sudden weather change was not doing her good.

Jack watched as her eyes began to grow more and more distant, and he knew that she would be out soon. The rain was growing heavier every minute, and it didn't look like it would let up anytime soon. Acting on instinct, he bent down and grabbed her – firmly, but gently – around the waist and lifted her to her feet. He then scooped her into his arms and turned toward the mansion. She struggled against his grasp, but she was so weak that he barely felt her at all.

"Jack," she whispered, her voice heartbreakingly desperate. "Please, let me go."

He looked down at her and sighed. "No, Lizzie. I can't do that."

She gazed up at him, her usually bright eyes terrifyingly cold and dead. "Please."

"No, Elizabeth. Now stop begging. Save your voice for later – you have some explaining to do." His voice was abruptly severe, and she closed her mouth and looked away. She didn't feel like arguing, and her head was throbbing dangerously, anyway. She wished the freezing rain could numb that, too, and not just her porcelain skin.

As Jack began walking towards the mansion – jogging, really – she became aware of the familiar black flashes crossing in front of her eyes.

"No," she tried to protest, trying to force the spots away.

He looked down at her questionably. "No, what?"

She just shook her head, attempting again to send the black and her headache away, but only making them worse.

"Jack," she choked desperately. She felt herself slipping – it was strong, and fast.

He glanced down at her again, another question ready on his lips, but he swallowed it back and sighed. She was gone. He looked back up at the approaching mansion, and tightened his grip on her before increasing his speed to a run. He was soon at the large double-doors. He pounded on them and, within seconds, they opened. Mary peered out into the rain, her eyes narrowing and her jaw setting as she realized who it was.

"Before you say anything, please take her," Jack said shifting Elizabeth slightly in his arms.

Mary's mouth dropped open when she noticed her mistress. Her gaze shot back up to him, and she demanded, "What happened to her!"

"That," he said, "is an excellent question."

* * *

(A/N:) Wow, time passes REALLY fast. I am sooooooooo sorry to anyone that is still bothering to read this. I know I haven't updated in a billion years...I'm just getting really lazy. I won't even pull out the excuses anymore - even though I have a ton of really good ones - because I know it's my fault. Again, one word : twilight. I swear, Bella and Edward and literally controlling my life now. I think I'm going insane. Oo I really need a reality check. No wonder none of my friends want to read the books.

Anyway, besides Twilight, I'm also just getting really lazy with the whole fanfiction thing these days. I'm writing a book now - an actual book - and that's taking up a lot of my time. And I also spend a lot of time just obsessing over vampires and Washington (I'm going there in a few weeks!!) and such. I'm suffering from a severe case of OCD: Obsessive Cullen Disorter. If anyone else has it, please write to me and we can work through it together. Lol but I don't know if I want to get over it. - ...man, I really need to get out more. This is sad.

Well, on another note, I have two new kittens because my other cat, Spike, died three weeks ago. Riley's with me now, and he won't stop stepping all over my keyboard. It's really starting to get annoying. -sigh- oh well...that's the joy of kittens. At least Bella learned to stop. Yes...that's right...I said Bella. -smacks forehead- What have I done?

-Crazy Obsessed Twilighter :D Lizzie


End file.
